under his coat.

When the justice returned to the inside room Rathburn moved a chair
close against one of the bedposts. He compelled Brown to sit in the
chair, put his hands around between the supports in the back, and
about the bedpost. He handcuffed him in that position.

Drawing a bandanna handkerchief from a pocket he swiftly gagged the
justice. Then he rummaged about the room until he found a piece of
rope tied about a pack in the bottom of the wardrobe. With this he
secured Brown's ankles to the front legs of the chair.

"There!" he said, standing back to view his handiwork. "You're pretty
well trussed up. I ain't trusting you any more than you'd trust me,
an' I don't figure on you raising any hue an' cry before I can get
along on my way."

The eyes of the justice were rolling as he struggled in vain to
speak.

"Never mind," said Rathburn. "I reckon I know what you want to say.
Under the circumstances, the same being so much on my side, you'd say
you believed me an' all that. But I took a chance in coming here to
tell you what I did an' I never aim to take more'n one chance in a
day. So long."

CHAPTER IV

"I KNEW HE LIED!"

Rathburn extinguished the light in the lamp, walked swiftly to the
front door, and outside. Closing the door softly he turned back up the
street. He sauntered along slowly, debating his next move. Evidently
the town was the last for many miles in the mountainous country east
and north. Westward he would come upon many towns as the country
became more and more densely populated toward the coast. Northwestward
he would be able to keep within the arm of the mountains and still be
in touch with civilization. But he would have to make some changes in
his attire and fix that brand on his horse.

Instinctively his course brought him to the big resort he had noticed
upon his arrival. The entrance doors had been closed against the chill
of the night, but he could see the interior of the place through one
of the windows despite the coating of dust upon the glass.

As he peered within he stiffened to alert attention and a light oath
escaped him. Walking swiftly from a rear door was a tall man, the
lower part of his face concealed by a black handkerchief. He held a
gun in each hand and was covering the score or more patrons of the
place who had risen from the tables, or stepped back from the bar,
with their hands held high above their heads.

"Keep 'em there an' you'll be all right