to a keen interest.

"Them strangers," he said--"that 'minds me I was talkin' to one last
night. He was askin' me when a stage was running from here."

"What d'you tell him?" demanded Bill quickly, and Minky's eyes asked
the question too.

Sandy laughed conceitedly.

"I sure said ther' wa'an't no stages runnin', with James' gang
around. I wa'an't goin' to give nuthin' away to strangers. Y'see,
if I'd pretended we was sendin' out stages, we'd have that gang
hangin' around waitin'. 'Tain't no use in gatherin' wasps around a
m'lasses-pot."

"No. You didn't tell him nuthin' else?" Bill inquired, eyeing him
shrewdly.

"I did that," said Sandy triumphantly. "I filled him up good. I jest
told him we was wise to James an' his gang, an' was takin' no chances,
seein' Sufferin' Creek was such a rich lay-out. I told him we was
bankin' up the gold right here, an' holdin' it till the pile was so
big we could claim a Gover'ment escort that could snap their fingers
at James an' his lay-out."

A swift exchange of glances passed between the gambler and the
storekeeper. And then, in a quiet voice, Bill demanded--

"Anything else?"

"Nothing o' consequence," replied Sandy, feeling he had acquitted
himself well. "He jest asted if Minky here banked the stuff, an' I
'lowed he did."

"Ah!" There was an ominous sparkle in Bill's eyes as he breathed his
ejaculation. Then, with a quiet sarcasm quite lost on the obtuse
widower, "You'd make an elegant sheriff's officer. You'd raise hell
with the crooks."

Sandy appeared pleased with what he took for praise.

"I'd show 'em some--"

But Bill had turned to the storekeeper.

"We've got to git doin'. I've heerd a heap in Spawn City. Anyway, it
was bound to git around. What he's said don't matter a heap. What I've
heerd tells me we've got to git busy quick. We've got to clean you out
of--stuff, or ther's goin' to be a most outrageous unhealthy time on
Sufferin' Creek. We'll fix things to-morrer. Bein' Sunday," he added
grimly, "it'll be an elegant day fer settin' things right. Meanwhiles,
I'll ast you to fix me a parcel o' them physics, jest some of each,
an' you ken git Sunny Oak to pass 'em right on to Zip fer his kids.
Guess they'll worry out how best to dose 'em right."

Minky nodded, but his eyes were gloomily watching the two strangers
sitting under the window. Sandy, however, suddenly brightened into a
wide smile.

"Sure," he cried delightedly, slapping his thigh in his exu