face before I knew it. Couldn't have
drawed if I wanted to. They'd have shot me out of the saddle in a
wink. All I could do was hand over the package an' beat it."

"And they said you were a gunman," said Sautee in derision. "How do
_I_ know anybody stopped you and robbed you? Maybe you've come back
here with that story to cover up the theft of the money. I guess I
made a mistake in ever thinking of trusting a man of your caliber."

"I was afraid of that," said Rathburn. "I was afraid if anything like
this was to happen you might think I was lying and was taking the
money myself. But I fooled 'em, Mr. Sautee," he finished in triumph.

"What's that?" Sautee asked sharply.

"Look here," cried Rathburn excitedly as he took off his hat and
recovered the package he had put in it before starting toward the
mine.

He held up the package. "I was scared they might get wise an' get the
drop on me," he said. "So I opened the package an' took out what was
in it and put it in my hat. They got the original package, all right,
but it was stuffed with an old glove of mine. Here's the money. I
didn't go right on to the mine for fear they'd find out their mistake
an' pot me from the timber. This is the money you gave me, minus the
seals an' the string an' box. I wanted you to see that I was on the
square."

Sautee's eyes were bulging. "Give me that," he gulped out.

"Why--don't you want me to take it to the mine?" asked Rathburn in
surprise.

"Hand that over," ordered Sautee, reaching for the package.

Rathburn drew away. "All right, Mr. Sautee," he said in a complaining
voice. "If you don't want me to go through with the job you can back
down, I guess. We'll just make sure the money's here, though."

Sautee leaped toward him.

"Give me that package!" he cried angrily. "Do you hear me?"

Rathburn warded him off, keeping the package at arm's length away.

"Just hold your horses," he said coldly. "I reckon I know what I'm
doing. You don't trust me now, an' I ain't goin' to take any chances
with you. I'm goin' to open this an' show you that the money's there,
that's all; I'm goin' to show you that I'm giving you back what you
gave me all fair an' square."

Sautee's face was ashen. His voice trembled as he spoke again: "Hand
it over and get out of here. I've had enough trouble with you. I'll
take your word for it."

But Rathburn was undoing the paper wrappings.

Again Sautee made a leap, but this time he met Rathburn's le