tered cheerfully as he ran for his horse.

In another minute he was again speeding down the road toward town. He
slacked his pace as he reached the upper end of the short main street.
The street was dark save for two beams of yellow light, one of which
shone from a window of the jail office and the other from the front of
the Red Feather resort.

He walked his horse down the street past the jail and the resort and
almost to the end of the line of buildings where he arrived before the
small, one-story, two-room structure which was Sautee's office and
abode.

The place was dark. Rathburn dismounted and led his horse into the
dark shadow at the side of the little building. Then he went around to
the front, and, drawing his gun from his waistband, he rapped smartly
on the door with its butt and dropped it into his holster.

There was no movement within, and Rathburn rapped again and tried the
door. It was locked.

A match flared into flame somewhere beyond the front room. A glow of
light followed. Rathburn, looking through the front window, saw a door
open wide and made out the form of Sautee as the mines manager came
forward to the front door.

"Who is it?" Sautee called cautiously.

"Rathburn."

After a moment a key turned in the lock and the door opened part way.
Rathburn pushed his way in.

"Why--didn't you _go_?" asked Sautee in excited tones.

"Lock the door an' come in the other room," whispered Rathburn. "I've
got something to tell you that'll knock you for a goal."

Sautee hurriedly locked the door, and, as he turned to lead the way
into the other room, Rathburn deftly extracted the key.

In the light from the lamp in the bedroom Sautee swung on his visitor
and looked at him keenly. The mines manager was fully dressed, and the
bed was made. It was evident that he had merely dozed on top of the
covers with his clothes on. These things Rathburn noted even as Sautee
surveyed him with a frown.

"Well, what is it?" snapped out Sautee.

Rathburn blinked in the light. "I--I was held up," he said sheepishly.

The mines manager stared. First he stared into Rathburn's eyes, and
then he glanced to the gun in the holster on his thigh.

"Couldn't have been very much afraid of you," he said sneeringly. "I
see they didn't even take your gun."

"It all come from my not knowin' enough about the trails, I guess,"
Rathburn explained lamely. "Got me on the far end of the hogback. Two
of 'em. Had their guns in my