rown," drawled
Rathburn. "You'll excuse my not callin' you judge. I'm afraid when you
find out who I am you'd think I was kiddin' you!"

He smiled amiably while the justice glared angrily.

"You're drunk!" flared Brown. "The best thing you can do is get out of
here--quick."

Rathburn looked pained. "First you ask me to state my business an' now
you tell me to get out," he complained. "You might as well know that I
never touch likker," he added convincingly.

Brown was studying him intently with a puzzled look on his face.
"Well," he said finally, with a show of irritation, "what do you
want?"

"I want you to tell me the why an' the wherefores of this document,"
said Rathburn sternly as he drew a folded piece of paper from a pocket
and spread it out on the table before the astonished gaze of the
justice.

"That's one of a number I saw tacked on trees on the east trail out of
here," continued Rathburn, frowning. "What's it all about, Brown?"

The pen in the hand of the justice suddenly began to waver as the hand
trembled. Then Brown dropped it, squared away his chair, and looked
grimly at his nocturnal visitor. For some moments his gaze was
concentrated on Rathburn's face. Then he slowly read the poster
offering a reward of five hundred dollars for The Coyote. He wet his
lips with his tongue.

"So I was right!" he exclaimed. "You _were_ headed in this direction.
I'm assuming that you're The Coyote!"

"And you're assuming what's the bare, untarnished truth," said
Rathburn. "I'm The Coyote you've offered five hundred for, an' who'll
bring another five hundred in several counties in Arizona, not to
mention five thousand that the State of Arizona has tossed into the
pot. I suppose I'm worth at least ten thousand as I stand here."

"That would be cheap for a man of your reputation!" said the justice
bravely. "We don't want you across the line in California, Coyote. We
won't put up with your depredations, and if you murder one of our
citizens you'll hang!"

Rathburn's chilling laugh hung upon the justice's words. "You're
side-stepping the point," he said suddenly in crisp tones that were
like the crack of a whiplash. "You're anticipating events, Jud. That's
my complaint--that's my business here with you." He brought his right
palm down upon the table smartly.

"An' now that I'm here, Jud, you're sure goin' to listen!"

"Don't threaten me!" cried the justice. "There are a hundred men
within call and they'd make