gue. The only thing you can do is to gag me; but, from some
things you've let drop, I judge that you want me to do some of the
talking presently."

"We do," nodded Duff, seeking to regain his temper. "However, it won't
do you any good to attempt to do your talking before you've heard me."

"If I've been interfering with your rights, then I certainly owe you an
apology," Tom answered, with mock gravity. "May I beg you to begin your
speech?"

"I will if you'll keep quiet long enough, boy," Jim Duff retorted.

"I'll try," sighed Reade. "Let's hear you."

"This committee of gentlemen--" began the gambler.

"All gentlemen?" Tom inquired gravely.

"This committee," Duff started again, "have concerned themselves with
the fact that you have done much to make business bad here in Paloma.
You have prevented hundreds of workmen from coming into Paloma to spend
their wages as they otherwise would have done."

"Some mistake there," Reade urged. "I can't control the actions of my
men after working hours."

"You've persuaded them against coming into town," retorted Duff sternly.
"None of the A. G. & N. M. workmen come into Paloma with their wages."

"I'm glad to hear that," Tom nodded. "It's the effect of taking good
advice, not the result of orders."

Some of the masked listeners stirred impatiently.

"It's all the same," Jim growled. "Your men don't come into town, and
Paloma suffers from the loss of that much business."

"I'm sorry to hear it."

"So this committee," the gambler went on, "has instructed me to inform
you that your immediate departure from Paloma will be necessary if you
care to go on living."

"I can't go just yet," Tom declared, with a shake of his bead. "My work
here at Paloma isn't finished."

"Your work will be finished before the night is over, if you don't
accept our orders to leave town," growled Duff.

"Dear me! Is it as bad as that?" queried Reade.

"Worse, as you'll find! What's your answer, Reade?"

"All I can say then," Tom replied innocently, "is that it is too bad."

Clip! Jim Duff bent forward, administering a smart cuff against the
right side of the sitting engineer's face.

"Don't do that!" warned Tom, leaping lithely to his feet. He faced the
gambler coolly, but the lad's muscles were working under the sleeves of
his shirt.

Duff drew back three steps, after which he faced the boy, eyeing him
steadily.

"Reade, you've heard what we have to say to you. That you can't go o