t. He was mindful of the fact that a
similar sum had been stolen the day before from the truck driver.

"There's a private bank here," answered Sautee frowningly. "He let me
have it, but he's already sent to the county seat for more cash which
will come by auto express to-morrow, probably. Anyway, the bank'll get
most of this back, so their cash won't be short long."

Rathburn nodded. "Let's see," he suggested. "There was a little item
of five hundred between us for my serving--am I right?"

"There is such an item," snapped out Sautee; "when you've delivered."

"Of course," replied Rathburn. "I couldn't expect to be paid in
advance. I'm to deliver the money at the mine and report to you for
the five hundred."

"Exactly," said Sautee. "Which way you figure on going up?" he asked
curiously.

"Don't know much about the trails," Rathburn answered. "An' it
mightn't attract suspicion if I just struck right out on the road."

Sautee shrugged. "Well, that's up to you," he said. "Keep your eye
peeled. I don't think any one knows I drew that money from the bank,
but I didn't think any one knew I stuck that package under the truck
driver's seat, either."

He turned toward the door.

"There's just one other little matter," said Rathburn softly. "You see
nobody knows anything about this deal but you an' me. Maybe it would
be best for my own protection that you scribbled something on a piece
of paper to show what our arrangement is."

Sautee scowled again, hesitated, then smiled. He drew an envelope from
a pocket, extracted its contents, tore it open at each end, and wrote
on the blank side:

Due Rathburn five hundred dollars when he has delivered package
intrusted to him by me at the Dixie Queen mine office.

GEORGE SAUTEE.

Rathburn nodded in satisfaction as he took the slip of paper and
tucked it into his shirt pocket. The wording of the note was a bit
complicated, but it bore Sautee's signature. It was at least evidence
that there _had_ been an agreement.

"Everything set?" asked Sautee.

"All cinched up an' ready to go," replied Rathburn.

"How soon you going to start?" asked Sautee as he unlocked the door.

"By midnight," Rathburn answered.

Sautee held out his hand before he slipped out of the door and was
gone.

Rathburn quickly busied himself with his slicker pack. He took out a
gun which he changed for the gun in his holster. Then he stuck his
regular gun into his waistband on the left. He too