amused light. "I didn't have any idea
of shootin' him, sheriff; he was too valuable as my escort on the
tour. I wonder if the lady could spare me a cup of coffee an' a
biscuit?"

He glimpsed the boy in the kitchen doorway behind the sheriff. "Hello,
sonny," he called cheerfully. "Did you catch those freckles from your
brother?"

The boy gazed at him abashed. There were actually tears in the
youngster's eyes. Ed Lamy and his sister moved into the kitchen and
took the boy with them. The girl had nodded to the sheriff.

"She'll get you something to eat," said Neal. "What have you got on
you?" He stepped to Rathburn's side.

"Ah--the frisk. I see you are a regulation officer, sheriff."
Rathburn's tone fairly radiated politeness and good cheer. "The silver
was rather heavy. It ain't my usual style to pack much silver,
sheriff. There's more of the bills in my hip pockets. Don't suppose
there's more'n a thousand in the whole bundle."

The sheriff put the bills and silver on the table. He investigated all
of Rathburn's pockets, returned him his tobacco, papers, and
handkerchief, but kept a box of matches. Then he felt his prisoner's
clothing to make sure that he had no weapons concealed; he also felt
his boot tops.

He looked at Rathburn with a gloating expression when he had finished;
there was also a glint of admiration in the gaze he directed at him.

"You size right up to the descriptions of you, Coyote," he reflected
in a pleasant voice. "Too bad you couldn't have been in a better
business. I'm glad I caught you, but I ain't any too--too--well, I
might say any too proud of it. That may be pleasant for you to hear.
But I ain't discounting your well-known ability, an' I want to warn
you that I or any of my men will shoot you in your tracks if you
start anything that looks suspiciouslike."

Rathburn yawned. "Sheriff, your courtesy is very greatly appreciated.
I only hope we will arrive in jail or somewhere soon where I can get
some sleep. I'm all in."

CHAPTER XI

FREEDOM BEHIND BARS

In the early afternoon the little cavalcade rode into Dry Lake.
Rathburn was nodding in his saddle, nearly asleep.

"We'll keep him here to-night till I can get the facts straight," he
heard Sheriff Neal say to Brown.

They dismounted at a small square stone building with bars on the
windows. Then Rathburn was proudly led between a line of curious
spectators into jail.

Three rooms comprised Dry Lake's jail. The front