send them to
me."

"That means something lively to happen, eh?" Miguel said with a
laugh.

He did not wait, however, for an answer, but set off at once for the
court house.

"I hope Meyers shows up soon with more men," Madden said to Weir.
"Those two sheepherders of Vorse's are a pair of snakes; he always
hires that kind; and they probably have some fellows with them like
themselves."

"Meyers is on the way with twenty men or so by this time. They had to
come in wagons, as we had the cars. Atkinson ought to be able to stand
off the crowd with the half dozen boys he has until the others
arrive."

While they had conducted this brief exchange of opinions they had kept
their gaze on the saloon-keeper, who continued to stand before his
door. The cold and merciless character of the man was never more
revealed than now as he waited for his hired assassins to come to
receive orders. Possessing already a full knowledge of the plot, Weir
and Madden were able to guess what culmination was now contemplated
and measure the true depth of the conspirators' infamy. The sheriff
especially boiled with inward wrath that they should expect to make
him not only a dupe but a tool in their crime.

"It's clear they never intended you should come to trial when
arrested," he said to his companion.

"Certainly not. That isn't the way they play the game. And I suppose
Vorse there imagines the cards are all falling his way at this
moment."

"He's going in."

"Good. Now then!"

Weir struck off across the street, striding forward at a pace Madden
found it difficult to keep. As they neared the door, Weir loosened the
gun in his holster.

In this action the sheriff imitated him and then changing his mind
drew the weapon itself. Plain man that he was, he was an instinctive
judge of character; he had encountered men of Vorse's type before,
less shrewd but equally savage; their nature was to fight, not
surrender; their way was to kill or be killed in the final issue. He
anticipated no arrest.

He felt no necessity, however, to express this view to the engineer,
who had proved himself in the time he had been at San Mateo wholly
competent to deal with any situation that arose. Moreover, while Vorse
had had a reputation of being a quick shot in the past, he was
confident Weir was his master.

With a quiet movement the engineer pushed open the door and stepped
into the saloon. Madden following him had allowed the slatted door to
swing sh