' here, an' there's a
chance for her. Go get the doctor."

"What about her brother?" demanded Maison. "He's a shark with a gun,
they tell me, an' a tiger when he's aroused. If he finds out about
this he'll kill both of us."

Dale grinned saturninely. "I'll take care of the brother," he said.
"You get the doc--an' be damned quick about it!"

Maison went out, and in five minutes returned with the doctor. The
latter worked for more than an hour with Peggy, and at last succeeded
in reviving her.

But though Peggy opened her eyes, there was no light of reason in
them--only the vacuous, unseeing stare of a dulled and apathetic brain.

"She's got an awful whack," said the doctor. "It's cracked her skull.
It'll be weeks before she gets over it--if she ever does. I'll come
and see her tomorrow."

The doctor came the next day--in the morning. He found the patient no
better. A woman, hired by Dale, was caring for the girl.

Also, in the morning, Dale paid a visit. His visit was to Dal Colton,
the man Dale had employed to kill Sanderson, and who had so signally
failed.

The scene of the meeting between Dale and Colton was in the rear room
of the City Hotel.

"Look here," said Dale. "This deal can't be no whizzer like you run in
on Sanderson. He's got to be dropped, or things are goin' to happen to
all of us. His name's Nyland--Ben Nyland. You know him?"

Colton nodded. "Plenty. He's a fast man with a gun. I'll have to get
him when he ain't lookin'. You'll get me clear?"

"No one will know about it," declared Dale. "You go out to his ranch
an' lay for him. He'll be in on the afternoon train. When he comes
into the door of his house, nail him. That's easy."

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCERNING A WOMAN

Day was breaking when Sanderson rode in to the Double A corral and
dismounted. Several of the men of the outfit were astir, and he called
to one of them, and told the man to care for his horse. He grinned
around at them all, and then went into the house.

Mary Bransford was not yet up. The door that Sanderson had gone out of
the night before was still unlocked. He opened it and entered, passing
through the sitting-room and halting in the kitchen. He had noted that
the door to Mary's room was closed.

Sanderson's dominant emotion was that of grim satisfaction. He had
compelled Maison to disgorge the money without jeopardizing his own
liberty. Judge Graney's word would suffice to prove his cas