the trail this feller made in the brush."

"Gimme time, an' I could. Thet takes time. An' heah you go hell-bent
fer election! But it's a wrong lead out this way. If you're right this
road-agent, after he killed his pals, would hev rid back right through
town. An' with them mail-bags! Supposin' they was greasers? Some
greasers has sense, an' when it comes to thievin' they're shore cute."

"But we sent got any reason to believe this robber who murdered the
greasers is a greaser himself. I tell you it was a slick job done by no
ordinary sneak. Didn't you hear the facts? One greaser hopped the engine
an' covered the engineer an' fireman. Another greaser kept flashin' his
gun outside the train. The big man who shoved back the car-door an' did
the killin'--he was the real gent, an' don't you forget it."

Some of the posse sided with the cowboy leader and some with the old
cattleman. Finally the young leader disgustedly gathered up his bridle.

"Aw, hell! Thet sheriff shoved you off this trail. Mebbe he hed reasons
Savvy thet? If I hed a bunch of cowboys with me--I tell you what--I'd
take a chance an' clean up this hole!"

All the while Jim Fletcher stood quietly with his hands in his pockets.

"Guthrie, I'm shore treasurin' up your friendly talk," he said. The
menace was in the tone, not the content of his speech.

"You can--an' be damned to you, Fletcher!" called Guthrie, as the horses
started.

Fletcher, standing out alone before the others of his clan, watched the
posse out of sight.

"Luck fer you-all thet Poggy wasn't here," he said, as they disappeared.
Then with a thoughtful mien he strode up on the porch and led Duane away
from the others into the bar-room. When he looked into Duane's face it
was somehow an entirely changed scrutiny.

"Dodge, where'd you hide the stuff? I reckon I git in on this deal,
seein' I staved off Guthrie."

Duane played his part. Here was his a tiger after prey he seized it.
First he coolly eyed the outlaw and then disclaimed any knowledge
whatever of the train-robbery other than Fletcher had heard himself.
Then at Fletcher's persistence and admiration and increasing show of
friendliness he laughed occasionally and allowed himself to swell
with pride, though still denying. Next he feigned a lack of consistent
will-power and seemed to be wavering under Fletcher's persuasion and
grew silent, then surly. Fletcher, evidently sure of ultimate victory,
desisted for the time being; howev