unning, of her warning, and of his ride to the gate with her.
Every point brought a suppressed exclamation from Whispering Smith.
"So she gave you your life," he mused. "Good for her! If you had got
into the pass on time you could not have got away--the cards were
stacked for you. He overestimated you a little, George; just a little.
Good men make mistakes. The sport of circumstances that we are! The
sport of circumstances!"

"Now tell me how _you_ heard so much about it, Gordon, and where?"

"Through a friend, but forget it."

"Do you know who shot at me?"

"Yes."

"I think I do, too. I think it was the fellow that shot so well with
the rifle at the barbecue--what was his name? He was working for
Sinclair, and perhaps is yet."

"You mean Seagrue, the Montana cowboy? No, you are wrong. Seagrue is a
man-killer, but a square one."

"How do you know?"

"I will tell you sometime--but this was not Seagrue."

"One of Dunning's men, was it? Stormy Gorman?"

"No, no, a very different sort! Stormy is a wind-bag. The man that is
after you is in town at this minute, and he has come to stay until he
finishes his job."

"The devil! That's what makes your eyes so bright, is it? Do you know
him?"

"I have seen him. You may see him yourself if you want to."

"I'd like nothing better. When?"

"To-night--in thirty minutes." McCloud closed his desk. There was a
rap at the door.

"That must be Kennedy," said Smith. "I haven't seen him, but I sent
word for him to meet me here." The door opened and Kennedy entered the
room.

"Sit down, Farrell," said Whispering Smith easily. "_Ve gates?_"

"How's that?"

"_Wie geht es?_ Don't pretend you can't make out my German. He is
trying to let on he is not a Dutchman," observed Whispering Smith to
McCloud. "You wouldn't believe it, but I can remember when Farrell
wore wooden shoes and lighted his pipe with a candle. He sleeps under
a feather-bed yet. Du Sang is in town, Farrell."

"Du Sang!" echoed the tall man with mild interest as he picked up a
ruler and, throwing his leg on the edge of the table, looked cheerful.
"How long has Du Sang been in town? Visiting friends or doing
business?"

"He is after your superintendent. He has been here since four o'clock,
I reckon, and I've ridden a hard road to-day to get in in time to talk
it over with him. Want to go?"

Kennedy slapped his leg with the ruler. "I always want to go, don't
I?"

"Farrell, if you hadn't been a railroad