burn quickly. "I heard I was given credit
for those affairs, but I wasn't a member of the party where they were
snuffed out."

"If you can make a jury believe that, you're in the clear," said Long.
"But how about that stage driver yesterday morning?"

Rathburn's face darkened. "I got in from the west just in time to
stumble on that gang of rats," he flared. "That's how your men came to
see me. The chase happened to come in my direction, that's all."

"If you can prove that, you're all right again," the sheriff pointed
out. "The law will go halfway with you, Rathburn."

"An' I probably wouldn't be able to prove it," said Rathburn bitterly.
"Those other things--the bank job an' the gamblin' stick-ups--I was
younger then, sheriff, an' no one can say that that bank sharp didn't
do me dirt."

"If you can show a good, reasonable doubt in those other cases,
Rathburn, I know the court would show leniency if the jury found you
guilty on the counts you just mentioned," said the sheriff earnestly.
"I'm minded to believe you, so far as yesterday's work was concerned.
I have an idea or two myself, but I haven't been able to get a good
line on my man. He's too tricky. Of course I'm not going to urge you
to do anything against your will. I appreciate your position. You're a
fugitive, but you have your liberty. Perhaps you can get away clean,
though I doubt it. But there's that chance, and you've naturally got
to take it into consideration. And you're not _sure_ of anything if
you go to trial on the charges there are against you. But it would
count like sixty in your favor, Rathburn, if you'd give yourself up."

Rathburn stared at the official speculatively. His thoughts flashed
back along the years to the time when he and Laura Mallory had played
together as children. He thought of what she had said the night before
about the compass. He shifted uneasily on his feet.

"Funny thing, sheriff, but I had some such fool notion," he
confessed.

"It takes nerve, Rathburn, for a man who is wanted to walk in and give
up his gun," said the sheriff quietly.

"I was thinking of something else," said Rathburn. "An' I've got to
think some more about this that you've sort of put in my head."

"How much time do you want, Rathburn?" asked Long.

Rathburn scowled. "Our positions haven't changed," he said curtly.
"I'm still the man you're lookin' for. I'll have to do my thinkin' on
my own hook, I reckon."

"Just as you say," Long said gra