tance was simply madness, so up went their hands and
the keen glance of the sheriff swept over the party and he counted four
men.

Miller was missing.

For a moment there was deep silence.

The bandits had time to recover from their panic.

"Let up, Timberlake, and I'll give you $5,000," said Jesse.

"Not for ten times that amount," replied the sheriff.

"You can't take all of us."

"Two will do--you and Frank."

"Will nothing bribe you?"

"Absolutely nothing." Jesse uttered a sharp signal whistle.

It echoed piercingly through the hotel, and the sheriff started and
demanded with a frown:

"What did you do that for?"

"To summon assistance," coolly replied Jesse.

"You won't get any here."

"Oh, yes, we will. You'll see."

"I am going---"

He never finished that sentence.

Miller had heard the danger signal, came up in the hall, saw how the
situation stood, and stealing up quietly behind Timberlake, he dealt the
plucky officer a stunning blow with the butt of his pistol.

It knocked the sheriff down.

He was hardly prostrate before the whole gang was upon him, and while
one took the pistols away from him, the rest bound and gagged him.

He thus was rendered perfectly helpless.

When he recovered from the effect of the blow, he found himself at the
mercy of the gang, unable to move or speak, and tied up to the
old-fashioned bed post.

"Fool," said Jesse, standing before him, and bending a burning glance
upon him of mingled hate and rage. "Are you soft enough to imagine you
can get away with all of us single handed?"

Timberlake did not reply of course.

But the look of intense fury he bestowed upon Jesse, amply evinced all
that was passing in his mind.

"We are going to leave you here," preceded the king of the bandits, "and
we are going back to Clay County. I'd like to blow your head off before
we go, but that would run my bead in the hangman's noose. If you are
unlucky enough to stumble across my path again, though, I shall be less
merciful. I'd wipe you out as I would a viper."

Gagged as he was, Timberlake remained silent.

"Come, boys, let us begone," said Jesse turning to his companions. "We
barely have time to catch the train."

They filed out of the room, and Jesse locked the door, carried the key
away, and they left the hotel.

Making speed, they quickly reached the railroad depot.

A train was just leaving.

They quickly boarded it.

Away they were whirled to Missouri