any more money," Sautee gasped out. "There's no money up
here at all."

"Oh, yes, there is," said Rathburn with a mirthless smile. "There's
twenty-odd thousand dollars in my right-hand coat pocket. Now I wonder
what you've got in yours. It don't stand to reason you'd start out
this time without a gun. Stand up!"

Sautee rose. His face was ashen. He held his hands high as Rathburn
pressed his weapon against his chest and relieved him of the automatic
which he carried. Rathburn felt his other pockets and then smiled
agreeably. He tossed the automatic on the desk.

"All right, we'll get goin'," he announced, indicating the open door.
"We'll have to hurry, for I take it you've sent for somebody from the
mine."

"Where are we going?" asked Sautee without moving.

"We're goin' for a little mornin' walk, if you act reasonable,"
replied Rathburn. "That was my intention. But if you don't want to
go----"

He shrugged, and as Sautee looked fixedly at him, he cocked his gun.

Sautee hurried toward the door with Rathburn following him closely.
When they were outside Rathburn directed Sautee across the street.
When they reached Rathburn's horse Rathburn quickly mounted and
motioned to the mines manager to precede him into the timber behind
the little village. When they gained the shelter of the timber they
gradually circled around until they struck a trail which led up above
the mine. They started up this, Sautee leading the way on foot with
Rathburn following on his horse and keeping his gun trained on the
mines manager's back.

"Don't worry," Rathburn crooned. "I won't shoot you in the back,
Sautee. That wouldn't be accordin' to my ethics. But I'd have to stop
you if you made a break to leave the present company."

Sautee plodded on, his breath coming in gasps, the perspiration
standing out on his forehead.

The trail joined with another well-worn path a short distance above
the mine. The eastern sky now was light, and Rathburn saw a stone
building above them. He also saw that they were on the steep slope of
the big mountain on which the Dixie Queen was located, and that there
was a rift in this mountain to the left which indicated the presence
of a pass there.

In a few minutes they reached the stone building. It had an iron door
across which was painted the legend:

DANGER POWDER--DYNAMITE KEEP AWAY

Rathburn dismounted and tossed the reins over his horse's head so the
animal would stand.

"That place looks