The street below had grown quieter.  From below came the sound of a door being closed.  Brevoort started, cursed, and glanced at Pete.  “Closin’ up for the night,” he said.  Pete quickly shifted his gaze to the open window.  He did not want Brevoort to know that he had noticed the start, or those hands that trembled.

They rose early, had breakfast at the restaurant across the street, and returned to the room, Brevoort with a sogun in which he rolled and corded his effects and Pete with some brown paper in which he wrapped the sacks of gold.  Brevoort borrowed a pencil from the proprietor and addressed the package.

“But how’s the bank goin’ to know who it’s from?” queried Pete,

“That’s right.  I’ll put The Spider’s name here in the corner.  Say, do you know we’re takin’ a whole lot of trouble for a man that wouldn’t lift a hand to keep us from bein’ sent up?” And Brevoort weighed the package thoughtfully.  “By rights we ought to hang onto this dough.  We earned it.”

“I sure don’t want any of it, Ed. I’m through with this game.”

“I reckon you’re right.  Well, next off, you git it to that express office.  I’ll wait till you git back.”

“What’s the use of my comin’ back, anyhow?” queried Pete.  “We paid for our room last night.”

“Ain’t you goin’ to take your stuff along?  You can pack it same as mine.  Then when you git to a ranch you are hooked up to ride.”

“Guess you’re right, Ed. Well, so-long.”

“See you later.”

Brevoort, who seemed to have recovered his nerve, added, “I aim to light out jest as quick as you git back.”

Pete was so intent on his errand that he did not see Conductor Stokes, who stood in the doorway of the El Paso House, talking to a man who had a rowdy rolled under his arm, wore overalls, and carried a dinner-pail.  The conductor glanced sharply at Pete as he passed, then turned abruptly, and stepped to a man who stood talking to the clerk at the desk.

“I jest saw one of ’em,” said the conductor.  “I never forget a face.  He was rigged out in town-clothes—­but it was him—­all right.”

“You sure, Len?”

“Pretty darned sure.”

“Well, we can find out.  You set down over there in the window and be reading a paper.  I’ll go out and follow him.  If he comes back this way, you take a good look at him and give me the high sign if it’s one of ’em.  And if it is, he’ll be connectin’ up with the other one, sooner or later.  I’ll jest keep my eye on him, anyway.  You say he had on a dark suit and is dark-complexioned and young?”

“Yes—­that one.  The other was bigger and taller and had light hair and gray eyes.  Both of ’em were in their range clothes on number three.”

“All right.”  And the plain-clothes man hastened out and up the street until he had “spotted” Pete, just entering the doorway of the express office.