Out of the stable behind this hostelry Dan and Tex Calder walked on the evening of the train robbery.  They had reached the place of the hold-up a full two hours after Silent’s crew departed; and the fireman and engineer had been working frantically during the interim to clean out the soaked fire box and get up steam again.  Tex looked at the two dead bodies, spoke to the conductor, and then cut short the voluble explanations of a score of passengers by turning his horse and riding away, followed by Dan.  All that day he was gloomily silent.  It was a shrewd blow at his reputation, for the outlaws had actually carried out the robbery while he was on their trail.  Not till they came out of the horse-shed after stabling their horses did he speak freely.

“Dan,” he said, “do you know anything about Sheriff Gus Morris?”

“No”

“Then listen to this and salt every word away.  I’m an officer of the law, but I won’t tell that to Morris.  I hope he doesn’t know me.  If he does it will spoil our game.  I am almost certain he is playing a close hand with the lone riders.  I’ll wager he’d rather see a stick of dynamite than a marshal.  Remember when we get in that place that we’re not after Jim Silent or any one else.  We’re simply travelling cowboys.  No questions.  I expect to learn something about the location of Silent’s gang while we’re here, but we’ll never find out except by hints and chance remarks.  We have to watch Morris like hawks.  If he suspects us he’ll find a way to let Silent know we’re here and then the hunters will be hunted.”

In the house they found a dozen cattlemen sitting down at the table in the dining-room.  As they entered the room the sheriff, who sat at the head of the table, waved his hand to them.

“H’ware ye, boys?” he called.  “You’ll find a couple of chairs right in the next room.  Got two extra plates, Jac?”

As Dan followed Tex after the chairs he noticed the sheriff beckon to one of the men who sat near him.  As they returned with the chairs someone was leaving the room by another door.

“Tex,” he said, as they sat down side by side, “when we left the dining-room for the chairs, the sheriff spoke to one of the boys and as we came back one of them was leavin’ through another door.  D’you think Morris knew you when you came in?”

Calder frowned thoughtfully and then shook his head.

“No,” he said in a low voice.  “I watched him like a hawk when we entered.  He didn’t bat an eye when he saw me.  If he recognized me he’s the greatest actor in the world, bar none!  No, Dan, he doesn’t know us from Adam and Abel.”

“All right,” said Dan, “but I don’t like somethin’ about this place—­maybe it’s the smell of the air.  Tex, take my advice an’ keep your gun ready for the fastest draw you ever made.”

“Don’t worry about me,” smiled Calder.  “How about yourself?”

“Hello,” broke in Jacqueline from the end of the table.  “Look who we’ve picked in the draw!”