he night. Can't take any
chances on leaving my door unbarred--can't tell who's prowling around. If
you'd sent word, now, so I would have had time to dress decently, I might
have let you in, seeing it's you. I'm sure some sorry."

"Sorry, too." Allen grinned at the door. "I told the boys you'd be
watching. Well, it can't be helped, I reckon. Only, I'd like mighty well
to see you. Coming out in the morning?"

"Maybe. Missed my beauty sleep already." His voice was dryly sarcastic.
"It's too bad you rode this far for nothing; can't even get a look at me.
But it's no time to visit a man, anyway. You and your boys flop outside.
We'll swap palaver in the morning. Good night."

"Good night."

Allen returned to the edge of the clearing, where he communicated to his
men the result of the conference.

"He ain't allowing that he wants to be disturbed just now," he told them.
"And he's too damned polite to monkey with. We'll wait. Likely he'll
change his mind over-night."

"Wait nothing," growled Duncan. "Bust the door in!"

Allen grinned mildly. "Good advice," he said quietly. "Me and my men will
set here while you do the busting. Don't imagine that we'll be sore
because you take the lead in such a little matter as that."

"If I was the sheriff----" began Duncan.

"Sure," interrupted Allen with a dry laugh; "if you was the sheriff.
There's a lot of things we'd do if we was somebody else. Maybe breaking
down Dakota's door is one of them. But we don't want anyone killed if we
can help it, and it's a dead sure thing that some one would cash in if we
tried any monkey business with that door. If you're wanting to do
something that amounts to something to help this game along, swap your
cayuse for one of Dakota's and hit the breeze to the Double R for grub.
We'll be needing it by the time you get back."

Duncan had already ridden over sixty miles within the past twenty-four
hours, and he made a grumbling rejoinder. But in the end he roped one of
Dakota's horses, saddled it, and presently vanished in the darkness. Allen
and his men built a fire near the edge of the clearing and rolled into
their blankets.

At eight o'clock the following morning, Langford appeared on the river
trail, leading a pack horse loaded with provisions and cooking utensils
for the sheriff and his men. Duncan, Langford told Allen while they
breakfasted, had sought his bunk, being tired from the day's activities.

"You're the owner of the Double R?" que