k for it, right
away.

"Get up an' dress!" he commanded.

He stood silently watching the banker as the latter got into his
clothing. Then, with a wave of his gun in the direction of the stairs
he ordered Maison to precede him. He kept close to the banker in the
darkness of the rooms through which they passed, and finally when they
reached the little room into which opened the big doors of the
vault--embedded in solid masonry--Sanderson again spoke:

"I want it in bills of large denomination." The banker was on his
knees before the doors, working at the combination, and he looked
around in silent objection at Sanderson's voice.

"Big ones, I said," repeated the latter. "You've got them. I was in
Silverthorn's rooms some hours ago, lookin' over his books an' things.
I saw a note there, showin' that he'd deposited fifty thousand here the
day before yesterday. The note said it was cash. You'll have forty
thousand more. If you ain't got it you'll wish you had."

Maison had it. He drew it out in packages--saffron-hued notes that he
passed back to Sanderson reluctantly. When he had passed back the
exact amount he looked around.

Sanderson ordered him to close the doors, and with the banker preceding
him they returned to the upper room, where Sanderson distributed the
money over his person securely, the banker watching him.

When Sanderson had finished, he again spoke. There was elation in his
eyes, but they still were aflame with the threat of death and violence.

"Who's the biggest an' most honest man in town?" he said, "the one man
that the folks here always think of when they're in trouble an' want a
square deal? Every town always has such a man. Who is he?"

"Judge Graney," said Maison.

"All right," declared Sanderson. "We'll go see Judge Graney. You're
goin' to lead me to the place where he lives. We're goin' to have him
witness that you've paid me ninety thousand dollars for the stock you
destroyed--my cattle. He's goin' to be all the law I'm goin' to depend
on--in this case. After a while--if you sneaks go too strong--I'll let
loose a little of my own law--the kind I've showed you tonight.

"You're goin' to Judge Graney's place, an' you're goin' to sign a paper
showin' you paid me the money for my cattle. You ain't goin' to make
any noise on the way, or to Judge Graney. You're goin' to do the
talkin' an' tell Graney that you want him to witness the deal. An'
you're goin' to do it witho