He rose, stepped across to Sanders, and shook hands with a strong grip.  “You darned old son-of-a-gun!  I’m sure glad to see you.  Heard you was back.  Say, you’ve ce’tainly been goin’ some.  Suits me.  I never did like either Dug or Miller a whole lot.  Dug’s one sure-enough bad man and Miller’s a tinhorn would-be.  What you did to both of ’em was a-plenty.  But keep yore eye peeled, old-timer.  Miller’s where he belongs again, but Dug’s still on the range, and you can bet he’s seein’ red these days.  He’ll gun you if he gets half a chance.”

“Yes,” said Dave evenly.

“You don’t figure to let yoreself get caught again without a six-shooter.”  Steve put the statement with the rising inflection.

“No.”

“Tha’s right.  Don’t let him get the drop on you.  He’s sudden death with a gun.”

Bob joined them.  After a moment’s conversation Russell drew them to a corner of the room that for the moment was almost deserted.

“Say, you heard the news, Bob?”

“I can tell you that better after I know what it is,” returned Hart with a grin.

“The stage was held up at Cottonwood Bend and robbed of seventeen thousand dollars.  The driver was killed.”

“When?”

“This mo’nin’.  They tried to keep it quiet, but it leaked out.”

“Whose money was it?”

“Brad Steelman’s pay roll and a shipment of gold for the bank.”

“Any idea who did it?”

Steve showed embarrassment.  “Why, no, I ain’t, if that’s what you mean.”

“Well, anybody else?”

“Tha’s what I wanta tell you.  Two men were in the job.  They’re whisperin’ that Em Crawford was one.”

“Crawford!  Some of Steelman’s fine work in that rumor, I’ll bet.  He’s crazy if he thinks he can get away with that.  Tha’s plumb foolish talk.  What evidence does he claim?” demanded Hart.

“Em deposited ten thousand with the First National to pay off a note he owed the bank.  Rode into town right straight to the bank two hours after the stage got in.  Then, too, seems one of the hold-ups called the other one Crawford.”

“A plant,” said Dave promptly.

“Looks like.”  Bob’s voice was rich with sarcasm.  “I don’t reckon the other one rose up on his hind laigs and said, ‘I’m Bob Hart,’ did he?”

“They claim the second man was Dave here.”

“Hmp!  What time d’you say this hold-up took place?”

“Must ‘a’ been about eleven.”

“Lets Dave out.  He was fifteen miles away, and we can prove it by at least six witnesses.”

“Good.  I reckon Em can put in an alibi too.”

“I’ll bet he can.”  Hart promised this with conviction.

“Trouble is they say they’ve got witnesses to show Em was travelin’ toward the Bend half an hour before the hold-up.  Art Johnson and Clem Purdy met him while they was on their way to town.”

“Was Crawford alone?”