like a natural jail," he commented.

"It's the mine's powder house," said Sautee, wiping his wet forehead.

"Sure," Rathburn rejoined, "that's just what it is. I expect there's
enough powder in there to blow half this mountain off."

He walked to the door and took out his gun as he examined the
padlock.

"What are you going to do?" asked Sautee excitedly.

"I'm goin' to blow the lock off," said Rathburn coolly.

"Don't do it!" cried Sautee. "There's high-percentage dynamite in
there and T N T caps that we use on road work--dozens of boxes of it.
You might set it off!"

Rathburn looked at the quaking mine manager speculatively. "That's
right," he said finally, turning aside to grin to himself. "I guess
any little jar might start it workin'. It goes off easy, I've heard."

"There are caps and detonators in there, too," said Sautee quickly.
"You might shoot into them some way, you never can tell. Well, it
would be as bad for you as for me." He uttered the last sentence in a
note of triumph.

Rathburn was looking at the far-flung view below. He turned a hard
gaze on Sautee. "What difference do you suppose it would make to me if
that stuff in there goes off?" he demanded in a harsh voice. "Look
down there!"

Sautee looked and drew in his breath with a gasp.

In the clear light of the blossoming dawn the whole panorama of the
lower mountain country was spread out before them. To the left, under
the towering peaks of the divide, the rounded crest of the hogback was
discernible, and a black spot marked the location of Mannix's
automobile.

"There's a car over there," said Rathburn, noting the direction of
Sautee's gaze.

Almost directly below them a number of mounted men filed over a ridge
and again disappeared in the timber. Off to the right more horsemen
were to be seen.

"Looks like there was a posse or two out this morning," said Rathburn
in a forbidding voice. "I reckon I ain't such a fool as not to know
who they're lookin' for, Sautee. Now maybe you can figure out why I
ain't as scared of that powder house as you are."

"I can stop them!" cried Sautee in a shaking voice.

"Sure," Rathburn agreed. "You can say you lied about me takin' the
money----"

"I'll tell 'em you gave it back!" said Sautee hoarsely. "I'll tell 'em
you brought it on up to the mine and that it's in the safe. I'll
square it----"

"But you can't square the rewards that are out for The Coyote," said
Rathburn sternly. "You've step