as McKee
wavered. "Nor any others of you. I'm playin' this hand alone. Buck
McKee, you've been flirtin' with a tombstone for some time. Hands up,
gents," he ordered, raising the pistols significantly.

"I said GENTS," he repeated, when Buck McKee did not obey him with
alacrity. The balked leader of the Lazy K outfit reluctantly held his
hands aloft.

"Sage-brush!" called Slim.

"Here," answered the foreman, covering a man with his revolver.

"Parenthesis!" summoned the Sheriff.

"Here," the man of the bowlegs replied, as he drew his gun.

"Me, too," cried Fresno, while Show Low came to the front with "An'
likewise here."

When the Lazy K outfit was thoroughly under subjection, Slim stepped
forward and said: "Now, gentlemen, if you please. You see, this
yere's my party an' I regalate it my way. Jack here gave his word to
stay and face this thing out. He's a-goin' to do it. I'm responsible
for him--Sage-brush, you will collect at the door sech articles of
hardware as these gentlemen has in their belts--I deputize you. Gents,
as you walk out the do', you will deposit yo' weapons with Mr.
Sage-brush Charley--the same to be returned to you when the court sees
fit and proper."

"You ain't goin' to let him--" Buck did not finish the sentence, for
Slim, thoroughly aroused, shouted: "Buck McKee, if you say another
word, I'm goin' to kill you. Gents, there's the door--your hosses are
in the corral--get."

Preceded by some of the Sweetwater boys, the Lazy K outfit filed out,
Sage-brush taking their guns as they passed him. Fresno and
Parenthesis brought up the rear.

"He needn't think he'll escape. We're bound to have him," declared
Buck.

"Are you goin'?" demanded Slim, his voice full of menace.

"Can't you see me?" sneered Buck.

Sage-brush relieved him of his gun as he passed, handing it to Fresno.
Buck paused in the doorway long enough to lament: "Talk of
hospitality. I never get in but what I am put out."

Slim watched McKee from the window until he disappeared through the
gate of the corral. Then walking down to Jack, he took him by the hand.

"It'll be all right in an hour--thank you, boys," Payson assured them.

"We all know you are the whitest man on the Sweetwater," assured
Sage-brush, speaking for the punchers, as they left Jack a prisoner
with Slim.

Speaking in a low tone, Jim asked Jack: "Where did you get that money?"

"Don't you know?" he asked, in surprise.

"From--"