rasping his unshaven chin with the palm of a hand.

"Looks like," agreed Beaudry with a curt nod and rode on.

Fox disappeared around a corner, hurried forward for half a block, and
turned in at the Silver Dollar Saloon. A broad-shouldered, hawk-nosed
man of thirty was talking to three of his friends. Toward this group
Fox hurried. In a low voice he spoke six words that condemned John
Beaudry to death.

"Beaudry just now rode into town."

Hal Rutherford forgot the story he was telling. He gave crisp, short
orders. The men about him left by the back door of the saloon and
scattered.

Meanwhile the sheriff rode into the Elephant Corral and unsaddled his
horse. He led the animal to the trough in the yard and pumped water
for it. His son trotted back beside him to the stable and played with
a puppy while the roan was being fed.

Jake Sharp, owner of the corral, stood in the doorway and chatted with
the sheriff for a minute. Was it true that a new schoolhouse was going
to be built on Bonito? And had the sheriff heard whether McCarty was
to be boss of Big Creek roundup?

Beaudry answered his questions and turned away. Royal clung to one
hand as they walked. The other held the muley gun.

It was no sound that warned the sheriff. The approach of his enemies