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"He'll never get old as long as he thinks he's got a mine corralled. He ought to try stock raisin' for a while. You look older, Rathburn more filled out. Are you still cutting 'em high, wide, an' handsome?" Rathburn's face clouded. "Roger's starting new, dad," the girl interposed. Mallory stared keenly at the younger man.

Still, there were times when he felt the need of a teacher. He would occasionally encounter difficulties which he found himself unable to surmount without assistance. At such times he thought of Mr Rathburn's kind offer. But his old teacher lived nearly a mile distant, and he felt averse to troubling him, knowing that his duties in school were arduous. Occasionally he met some of his schoolmates.

"You're right," he said crisply. "It's time to start moving, Sautee." He rose, and his right hand moved incredibly fast. Sautee gasped as he looked into the bore of Rathburn's gun. He could hardly realize that Rathburn had drawn. "I fooled the night riders twice," explained Rathburn with a peculiar smile. "First, when I let 'em get the wrong package, an' again when I let 'em get the wrong gun.

"If we're cornered you leave it to me," Rathburn came back. "I have reasons for everything I'm doing. An' don't forget that I'd rather be grabbed for this simple trick of yours in Dry Lake than for one or two jobs over in Arizona. If things go wrong keep your mouth shut don't talk! If you start talking any time I'll try to kill you!" Lamy drew back from the ferocity in Rathburn's tone and manner.

"I heard I was given credit for those affairs, but I wasn't a member of the party where they were snuffed out." "If you can make a jury believe that, you're in the clear," said Long. "But how about that stage driver yesterday morning?" Rathburn's face darkened. "I got in from the west just in time to stumble on that gang of rats," he flared. "That's how your men came to see me.

He could hear the pound of hoofs in the entrance of the narrow cañon. A rider came into view below. Rathburn leaned out from the protection of the boulder. His lips were pressed into a fine, white line, and there was a look of haunted worry in his eyes. His gun flashed in his hand. The rider saw him and yelled, spurring his horse. Then Rathburn's gun swung quickly upward.

I reckon the sheriff will believe me an' give me a chance when he hears the facts, or I may not wait for a talk with him." "I take it you've got me right," said the captive, compressing his lips. "But if you're really The Coyote I've heard so much about, you'll give me my gun an' give me a chance to run for it!" Rathburn's laugh jarred on his ears.

But now I see, jailer, that it was my luck protecting me. Anything you learn is liable to prove handy some time. Don't move an inch or I'll let you have it!" Rathburn's hand snapped out of his shirt and up above his right shoulder. The man from the desert shuddered involuntarily as he saw the yellow light from the lamp play fitfully upon a keen, white blade.

This gun an' I work together like clock ticks when necessary. I'll have to ask you to fork over the money that you drew from the bank an' that should have been in that package, Sautee." Rathburn's eyes had narrowed and hardened; his words were cold and menacing deadly in their absolute sincerity. "What what do you mean?" stammered the mines manager.

Rathburn smiled. It was a peculiar ruse for the mines manager to resort to. Could not the pay-roll be sent to the mines under armed guard? Rathburn's eyes were dreamy when he looked at the deputy. "All right, in you go," said Mannix, as the jailer unlocked the heavy, barred door from the inside.