blet of paper
toward Sanders. The latter tore off the sheet and put it in his pocket.

Sanders spoke again, abruptly. "Understand one thing, Prince. I don't
have to take part in the arrest. I only tell you where to find him."

"And take me to the spot," added the sheriff, "I'll do the arrestin'."

"Whyfor must I take you there if I tell you where to go?"

"You want a good deal for your white alley, Sanders," returned the other
contemptuously. "I'm to take all the chances an' you are to drag down the
reward. That listens good. Nothin' to it. You'll ride right beside me;
then if anything goes wrong, you'll be where I can ask you questions."

"Do you think I'm double-crossin' you? Is that it?" flushed the
ex-foreman of the Lazy S M.

"I don't know. It might be Clanton you're double-crossin', or it might be
me," said the sheriff with cynical insolence. "But if I'm the bird you've
made a poor choice. In case we're ambushed, you'll be in nice, easy reach
of my gun."

"Do I look like a fool?" snapped Sanders. "I'm out for the dough. I'm
takin' you to Clanton because I need the money."

"Mebbeso. You won't need it long if you throw me down." Then abruptly,
the sheriff dropped into the manner of dry business. "Get down to tacks,
man. Where is Clanton's hang-out?"

Buck sat down and drew a sketch roughly on the tablet. "Cross the river
at Blazer's Ford, cut over the hills to Ojo Caliente, an' swing to the
east. He's about four miles from Round Top in an old dugout. Maybe
you've heard of Saguaro Canon. Well, he's holed up in a little gulch
runnin' into it."

By daybreak next morning the sheriff's posse was in the saddle. In
addition to Sanders, who rode beside Billie unarmed, Goodheart and two
special deputies made up the party.

The sun was riding high when they reached Ojo Caliente. The party bore
eastward, following a maze of washes, arroyos, and gorges. It was well
into the afternoon when the informer ventured a suggestion.

"We're close enough. Better light here an' sneak forward on foot," the
man said gruffly.

As he swung from the horse Billie smiled grimly. He had a plan of his own
which he meant to try. Buck Sanders might not like it, but he was not in
a position to make any serious objection.

They crept forward to a rim rock above a heavily wooded slope. A
tongue-shaped grove ran down close to the edge of a narrow gulch.

Prince explained what he meant to do. "We'll all snake down closer. When
I give t