Bonanza.

The face of the leader of the outlaws wore a troubled look as he
listened, and when the man was through he shook his head and said:

"I reckon I'll have to go over and have a look at this dangerous boy,
boys. I have heard of him, and I have reason to believe that he is a
hard one to beat. Though he is mighty young, he has spent his time
looking for trouble ever since he was big enough to shoot a gun, and he
has had so much luck that I suppose now he thinks that he is
invincible."

"He's a regular terror, Cap," spoke up Bob. "I know what I'm talkin'
about. I've seen him, an' I've seen what he could do. He's jest as cool
as a chunk of ice, an' yer can't no more scare him than yer kin a mad
grizzly. If he's after us you kin bet that he'll git us, unless he's
catched afore he gits a good start on."

"Well, I reckon he'll have the hardest time of his life getting us,
though," the leader answered. "But I'll ride over, anyhow and try and
find out something. Told you to tell any outlaws you met that he was
after them, eh, Chuck?"

"Yes; that's right, Cap."

"Well, we'll see about that. I won't be long in findin' out what he's up
to. If he gets through Forbidden Pass without paying toll he's got to be
a good one, that's all. His life will probably be the price demanded for
toll, too. I reckon that's what I'll make it."

After a few minutes further conversation on the subject the leader of
the gang, who was posing as an honest business man in Silver Bend, left
the cave, leading his horse out under the curtain that was rolled up by
one of the men for him.

He rode along in the direction of the little mining camp at an easy
gait, and in a short time he reached the end of the pass.

He paused long enough to see that the sign he had himself painted was in
place, and then he made for the saloon, never once thinking that there
was any one so close by watching his movements.

Cap Roche was well known in Big Bonanza, and he was satisfied that no
one dreamed that he was anything else but an honest man.

He made up his mind to tell the miners that he had decided to ride
through the pass just for the purpose of finding out if the outlaws were
still there.

"I'll have no trouble in making them think that it is safe to go through
now," he muttered, as he rode up to the saloon.

Dismounting, he entered the shanty and found the biggest part of the
population gathered there.

"Hello, boys!" he called out, familiarly.