ess
in the doorway, waiting--waiting----

Boots stamped upon the steps outside, and Rathburn drew back from the
doorway in the aisle before the cages.

The front door opened and a man entered.

Both the man in the cage and the man in the aisle recognized the
sheriff's step as Neal closed the door, paused for a look about the
office, and then walked toward the door leading into the jail proper.

The jailer opened his mouth to sound a warning, but something in
Rathburn's gaze and posture held him silent. Rathburn's body was
tense; his gaze was glued to the doorway; his right hand with its
slim, brown, tapered fingers, hung above the gun at his side.

The sheriff loomed in the doorway. Without a flicker of surprise in
his eyes he took in the situation. His lids half closed as his lips
tightened to a thin, white line. He met Rathburn's gaze and knew that
he now faced The Coyote in the role which had won him his sinister
reputation.

"Did I mention to you that I wasn't used to jails, sheriff?" said
Rathburn evenly, his words carrying crisp and clear. "I don't fancy
'em. But I needed the sleep and the meal. Now I'm going. Do you
recollect I said no one ever took my gun from me but what I got it
back? I had to borrow this one from the gent in the cage. I'll take my
gun, sheriff--_now!_"

Neal had watched him closely. He saw that while he was speaking The
Coyote did not for an instant relax his vigilance. The merest
resemblance of a move would precipitate gun play.

He turned abruptly, and with Rathburn following him closely, went
into the private room off the jail office. He pointed to the other's
gun which lay upon the flat desk where many had curiously inspected
it.

Rathburn took it in his left hand and ascertained at a glance that it
wasn't loaded. Therefore he elected to carry it in his left hand.

"I won't take a chance on feeding it right now, sheriff," he said.
"Under the circumstances it would be right awkward. If you make up
your mind to draw I'll have to depend on a strange gun."

Sheriff Neal's eyes glittered; his lips parted just a little.

"Now if you'll walk back toward the cage, sheriff," Rathburn prompted.
"Correct--don't stumble."

Neal backed slowly out of the door, through the second door into the
aisle before the cages, watching Rathburn like a cat.

Rathburn slipped his own weapon into his left hip pocket and with his
left hand dug into his trousers pocket for the key to the cage. He
di