he ain't bin interferin' none, an' in any case, he don't come
within my jurisdiction. Nick Undrell's different."

"What about Nick Undrell?" Kiddie asked.

"That fetches me up against the point," returned Isa. "That's the
business brought me on your trail. But before we drag in Nick, I'll
start at the beginnin'. I don't doubt you remember the name of Sanson
T. Wrangler."

"Yes," Kiddie affirmed, "he kept a prosperous general store in Laramie.
Used to sell very good candy an' a variety of temperance drinks,
includin' a special brew of lemon squash, of which delectable beverage
I've consumed some quarts."

"That's the man," resumed Isa. "But 'tain't just c'rrect ter call
Sanson prosperous. Thar's a heap of competition in the temp'rance
drink line, an' the retailin' of candy don't represent a gold mine.
Sanson T. Wrangler's store hasn't flourished since the time he was in
Leavenworth hospital for an operation. His speculations was
unfortunate. He lost a heap of dollars an' got inter debt. His chief
creditor threatened law proceedings against him if he didn't shell out
slick. Ter meet his liabilities he sold out a quantity of his stock.
He borrowed where he could, an' one way with another, he accumulated
enough capital ter pay that debt on the stipulated date, which was last
Monday. Are you listenin', Kiddie? You're gazin' up inter them clouds
as if you was composin' a poem to 'em, 'stead of cipherin' out the
problem I'm puttin' in front of you."

"I assure you I'm all attention, Isa," Kiddie averred. "I expect
you're going to tell me now that Sanson T. Wrangler got foolin' around
in some low down gamblin' saloon and lost that pile of dollars over a
game of poker. What?"

"No," continued Isa, "that wasn't the way of it; though I allow he was
in Brierley's saloon Saturday night, boastin' to his friends about how
he'd rounded up the cash, and had locked it away in his iron safe back
of the store. On Sunday he didn't show up at meetin': nobody saw him
all day. Next mornin' his store wasn't opened as usual. The matter
was put inter my hands, an' I entered the premises t' investigate.
First thing I see was Sanson T. Wrangler's iron safe standin' open an'
empty, th' account books an' papers bein' flung around in disorder.
Second thing was Sanson T. Wrangler hisself lyin' huddled up in a
corner 'f th' room, gagged an' apparently unconscious."

"Why 'apparently'?" questioned Kiddie.

"Didn't move, didn't