"I'm not working for anybody," answered Denver boldly, "I'm out prospecting along the edge of the rim."
"Oh--prospecting," said Murray suddenly moderating his voice; and then, as the guard stood watching them narrowly, he gave way to a fatherly smile. "Well, well," he exclaimed, "it's pretty hot for prospecting--you can't see very well in this glare. Whereabouts have you made your camp?"
"Over on the crick," answered Denver. "What have you got here, anyway? Is this that diamond drill?"
"Never mind, now!" put in the guard who, anticipating a call-down for his negligence, was in a distinctly hostile mood, "you know danged well it is!"
"Oh, I do, do I?" retorted Denver, "well, all right pardner, if you say so; but you don't need to call me a liar!"
He returned the guard's glare with an insulting sneer and Murray made haste to intercede.
"Now, now," he said, "let's not have any trouble. But of course you've no business on this ground."
"That's all right," defended Denver, "that don't give him a license to pull any ranicky stuff. I'm as peaceable as anybody, but you can tell your hired man he don't look bad to me."
"That will do, Dave," nodded Murray and after another look at Denver, the guard turned back towards the tent.
"Judas priest," observed Denver thrusting out his lip at the guard, "he's a regular gun-fighting boy. You must have something pretty good hid away here somewhere, to call for a guard like that."
"He's a dangerous man," replied Murray briefly, "I'd advise you not to rouse him. But what do you think of our district, Mister--er----"
"Russell," said Denver promptly, "my name is Denver Russell. I just came over from Globe."
"Glad to meet you," answered Murray extending a hairy hand, "my name is B. B. Murray. I'm the owner of all this ground."
"'S that so?" murmured Denver, "well don't let me keep you."
"Hey, wait a minute!" protested Murray, "you don't need to go off mad. Sit down here in the shade--I want to have a talk with you."
He stepped over to the shade of an abandoned cabin and Denver followed reluctantly. From the few leading questions which Mr. Murray had propounded he judged he was a hard man to evade; and, until he had got title to the claim on Queen Creek, it was advisable not to talk too much.