left foot?"




CHAPTER IV

AT THE BANKER'S HOME

Rod Norton made no arrest. Leaving the card-room abruptly he signalled
to Julius Struve, the hotel keeper, to follow him. In the morning
Struve, in his official capacity as coroner, would demand a verdict.
Having long been in strong sympathy with the sheriff he was to be
looked to now for a frank prediction of the inquest's result. And,
very thoughtful about it all, he gravely agreed with Norton; the
coroner's jury, taking the evidence offered by Jim Galloway, Kid
Rickard, and Antone, would bring in a verdict of justifiable homicide.

"Later on we'll get 'em, Roddy . . . mebbe," he said finally. "But not
now. If you pulled the Kid it would just be running up the county
expense all for nothing."

The sheriff left him in silence and leading his horse went the few
steps to the hotel. Ignacio Chavez appearing opportunely Norton gave
his animal into the breed's custody; Ignacio, accustomed to doing odd
jobs for el Señor Roderico Nortone, and to the occasional half dollars
resulting from such transactions, led the big gray away while the
sheriff entered the hotel. It had been a day of hard riding and scanty
meals, and he was hungry.