sced and had departed for the Circle
Bar alone.

When he reached Dry Bottom the following morning he found a small crowd
of people in front of the _Kicker_ office. During the night someone
had posted a written notice on the front door, and when Hollis
dismounted from his pony there were perhaps a dozen interested citizens
grouped about the door, reading the notice. There were several of the
town's merchants and a number of cowboys--new arrivals and those who had
remained overnight to gamble and participate in the festivities that
were all-night features of the dives. There were also the usual loafers,
who constitute an element never absent in any group of idlers in any
street. All, however, gave way before Hollis and allowed him to reach
the door without molestation, though in passing he observed significant
grins on several faces.

The notice was written in a bold, legible hand.

"Mr. Hollis:"--it read, the prefix under-scored--"The express leaves
town this afternoon at six o'clock--goin' east. Better be on it."

Signed--"Y. Z."

Hollis read the notice and then turned and quietly surveyed his
watchful, interested audience. He smiled grimly, seeing several faces
which, though plainly expressing amusement, seemed quietly sympathetic.
He felt that these were wishing him success, though doubting his ability
to cope with his enemies. Other faces were plainly antagonistic in
expression. He looked at both for an instant and then turned again to
the notice and producing a pencil printed boldly on its face the slogan
he had devised:

_"We Herald the Coming of the Law! The Kicker is Here to Stay!"_

And below he indulged in this sarcasm: _"Don't hold the express on my
account!"_

Signed--"KENT HOLLIS"

Leaving his audience to stare after him Hollis pushed open the door of
the office and entered.

He found Potter bending over the imposing table, hard at work on one of
the forms. Three other forms, locked and ready for the press, stood in a
corner. Potter looked up and smiled as his chief entered.

"See the notice on the door?" he inquired.

"Some of Dunlavey's work, I suppose," returned Hollis.

"Well, yes. I suppose Dunlavey is back of it. But Yuma tacked the sign
up." He smiled soberly as Hollis flashed a grin at him. "They tried hard
last night to get me to drink. Of course their purpose was to get me
drunk so that