t Gomez smiled
at him, his white teeth glistening against his swarthy skin.

Rathburn marveled at the audacity of the Mexican, who undoubtedly was
one of those who had held up the stage the day before, in coming
boldly into town. Then he recollected that the sheriff had mentioned
he had an idea of who was responsible for that job, but had been
unable to get a line on his man. Eagen and his gang were evidently
well covered up. If such were the case, Eagen himself might be in
town.

It was because he thought he might learn something from Gomez that he
finally acknowledged the fellow's greeting by a nod.

The Mexican left the bar and walked up to him.

"We are not afraid to come in town, Mr. Coyote," he murmured.

"Drop that name," said Rathburn sharply in an undertone. "Is Eagen
here?"

"He is here," replied Gomez with another display of his white teeth.
"You want to see him? He is up talking with Mr. Doane."

Doane! Rathburn remembered the name instantly as being the same which
had been spoken by Laura Mallory the night before. He remembered, too,
the man who had been there and who had driven away to town in the
little car. He surmised that this man had been Doane; and it had been
he who had brought the information of Rathburn's arrival and the
posse's pursuit to the girl.

"You want to see him?" asked Gomez craftily.

Rathburn had a consuming aversion for the wily Mexican. He hated the
shifty look in his eyes and his oily tongue.

"Not yet," he answered shortly.

"He will be here maybe," said Gomez eagerly. "It is you change your
mind?"

Rathburn scowled. The Mexican then knew all about the proposition
Eagen had made to him the night before. Perhaps he could get more
information from him than he had suspected.

"What job is it Eagen is planning?" he asked in a low voice.

There were several men at the bar now, and both Rathburn and the
Mexican were keeping an eye upon them.

"Oh, that he will have to tell you himself when you are ready," Gomez
replied.

Rathburn snorted in keen disgust. But Gomez sidled up to him.

"You go to the Mallory rancho last night," he whispered. "You are not
the only one there last night." His smile flashed again, as Rathburn
looked at him quickly.

"There was another there before," he continued; "Mr. Doane. He goes
there, too. You have been away a long time, and Mr. Doane take the
advantage."

Rathburn's eyes were narrowing, and the Mexican evidently took his
face fo