corner.

There were red stains upon the steps, and upon the leather cushions, and
everything indicated that the stage had run a death-gantlet.

But, excepting for his pale, stern face, the doctor was as serene as a
May morn, though his voice showed weakness when he spoke.

"I'll ask your aid, landlord, for I am weakened from loss of blood. Bind
my arm up to stop the flow and I'll see how serious the wound is."

He said no more, but was at once aided from the box and over to his
cabin, Landlord Larry leaving his clerk to look after the mails and the
dead passengers.

Arriving at the cabin Doctor Dick had his coat-sleeve slit open and the
bandage he had tied about his arm removed.

His silk shirt-sleeve was also cut, and then the wound was revealed in
the fleshy part of the arm.

Taking a probe from his case Doctor Dick, after swallowing a glass of
brandy, coolly probed the wound, found the ball, and, aided by Loo Foo,
the Chinee, under his direction, soon extracted the bullet.

Then the wound was skilfully dressed, the arm rested in a sling, and
Doctor Dick lolling back in his easy chair asked with the greatest
coolness:

"Well, Landlord Larry, how goes all at Last Chance?"

The landlord was amazed at the calmness of the man, and said quickly:

"Oh, Last Chance is O. K.; but it is your run that we are dying to hear
about, Doc."

"Well, it was a close call for me, Larry, I admit, for I found foes
where I expected friends."

"You were held up?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"At what you have very appropriately named the Dead Line, Larry."

"The place where Bud and Dave were killed?"

"Yes."

"It was the masked road-agents?"

"Not this time."

"Ah! who then?"

"I did not form their acquaintance by name, but perhaps a search of the
bodies may reveal."

"You killed them?"

"Two."

"Where are the bodies?"

"I brought them along in the coach."

"I thought they were passengers who had been killed?"

"They were."

"How do you mean?"

"They left W---- booked as passengers, but reached Last Chance as
dead-head road-agents."

"Now I begin to understand. It was your two passengers who attacked
you?"

"Just so."

"It is a wonder that they did not kill you."

"They would easily have done so, had I not suspected them: but I grew
suspicious, and without appearing to do so, watched their every look
and move. When we drew near the Dead Line, they said they would lie down
on top of the coach and rest,