from behind. Yes, I reckon I'd have done that."

Percy glared at him thoughtfully.

"Then I wouldn't have let myself get in line with the front and side
windows," Rathburn taunted. "Lots of men are shot through windows.
Ever hear of such a thing?"

His listener didn't answer.

"An' now that I think of it," Rathburn droned on, "I'd have lined
those men up against the wall with their faces turned away from me.
That puts 'em at more of a disadvantage, an' they can't see what's
going on."

Percy now was regarding him keenly.

"Let's see," said Rathburn, with tantalizing slowness. "Oh, yes,
Percy. I wouldn't have taken anything from the cash drawers but the
bills. I don't like to take the time to monkey around with a lot of
silver; besides, it sort of weights one down."

He paused long enough to let that sink in, then continued: "The thing
I'd have paid most of my attention to--excepting for keeping a
watchful eye on the men against the wall an' the windows an'
doors--would have been the safe. The big money's usually in the safe,
an' the bartender can be induced to open the safe just as easy as he
can be persuaded into opening the cash drawers. An' say, Percy, I'd
never let a bartender get as close to me as you let that fellow get to
you. He might start something, then you'd have to begin shootin' an'
that would alarm the town an' ball up the program."

"You talk like you'd had considerable experience," observed Percy
warily.

"Maybe so. Maybe I have. But if I have, I can say I've never pulled
anything quite so raw as the way you pulled that stunt last night down
in Dry Lake, Percy. That is the real low-down on that. You just
naturally laid yourself open to attack from all quarters."

His captive looked at him both respectfully and sheepishly.

"An' there's only one reason why you got away with it," said Rathburn,
his eyes narrowing.

"Because I was lucky like you say, I suppose," sneeringly answered
Percy.

"No!" thundered Rathburn. "You got away with it because they thought
you were The Coyote!"

The captive started; stared at Rathburn with widened eyes.

"That's why you got away with it," continued Rathburn in a hard voice.
"An' you thought you'd cinch it when you told 'em before you went out
that they could tell their funny judge you called!"

Rathburn's eyes blazed with angry contempt. "Trading on somebody
else's name," he mocked. "Trying to make out you was the goods, an' I
believe they thought