"We have savings banks these days, and we don't need gamblers to carry
our money for us."

"Speech, Reade! Speech!" insisted Mr. Beasley good-humoredly.

From some mysterious place a barrel was passed along from hand to hand.
It was set down before the young chief engineer, and ready hands hoisted
him to the upturned end of the barrel.

"Speech!" roared a thousand voices.

Tom, grinning good-humoredly, then waved his arms as though to still the
tumult of voices. Gradually the cheering died down, then ceased.

Bang! sounded further down the Street, and the flash of a rifle was
seen.

Tom Reade, his speech unmade, fell from the barrel into the arms of
those crowded about him.




CHAPTER XV

MR. DANES INTRODUCES HIMSELF


Daylight found Jim Duff and some of his cronies of the night before
either absent from Paloma, or else securely hidden.