etty well worked out. Most of our
stockholders live in the Middle West and the East." He winked at
Rathburn.

"Any other mines been robbed?" Rathburn persisted.

"No, that's the funny part of it. Still--no, it _isn't_ funny. We're
working on the largest scale, and our pay-roll is, naturally, the
largest. It furnishes the biggest incentive. In addition, the Dixie
Queen is the farthest out from town, and there are many excellent
spots for a holdup between town and the mine. Oh, don't look
skeptical. I've tried trusted messengers by roundabout trails, and
guards and all that. They even held up a convoy on one occasion. I've
set traps. I've done everything. But now I've a new idea, and I
believe it'll work."

He finished his breakfast and stared steadily at Rathburn who didn't
look up, but leisurely drank a second cup of coffee. Sautee noted the
slim, tapered right hand of the man across the table from him, the
clear, gray eyes, the unmistakable poise of a man who is absolutely
and utterly confident and sure of himself. The mine manager's eyes
glowed eagerly.

"Yes?" asked Rathburn calmly.

"I'm going to hire, or, rather, I'm going to _try_ to hire a man I
believe is just as tough, just as clever, just as quick with his gun
as the men who've been robbing the Dixie Queen. I'm going to hire him
to carry the money to the mine!"

"So _that's_ why you got me out of jail," said Rathburn, drawing the
inevitable tobacco and papers from his shirt pocket.

"Yes!" whispered Sautee eagerly. "I want you for the job!"

"You ain't forgetting that I was suspected of that last job, are you?
That's why I went to jail, I reckon."

"You didn't have to go to jail unless you wanted to. You didn't have
to stop in this town and invite arrest. Mannix let you go up there
yesterday because he felt sure he could get you when he wanted you
again, and he figured you'd make some break that would give him a clew
to your pals, if you had any. You went to jail because you knew he
didn't have anything on you."

Sautee grinned in triumph.

"How do you know I won't beat it with the money?" asked Rathburn.

"I don't," said Sautee quickly. "But I'm taking a chance on it that
you won't. I don't care who you are, what you are now, or what you've
been; I don't care if you're an outlaw! I figure, Rathburn, that if I
come out square and trust you with this mission and depend upon you to
carry it out, that you'll play square with me. That's what I'm ba