"I had to kill Brassy to-night, but Ball will explain the circumstances. "Get back to poor Dave's funeral at sunset to-morrow, if possible. "I closed saloon to-night out of respect to Dave. "The young passenger will be a madman if he recovers. Yours, DOCTOR DICK." The note to Buffalo Bill told of the hold-up on the stage-trail, the death of one passenger, wounding of another, and killing of Dave Dockery, and closed with: "Landlord Larry is on the trail of the outlaws, and all will be done to hunt them down that it is possible to do. "I will drive the coach back on the run, and until another driver can be found. "If you cannot come now, state what you think best to be done and it will be attended to. "Yours, DOCTOR DICK." The couriers left as soon as the letters were finished, and having seen them depart Doctor Dick went over to the hotel to get his supper, which Loo Foo had ordered for him, after which he returned, looked at his patient, gave him a dose of medicine, and, throwing himself upon his bed, was soon fast asleep, wholly oblivious it seemed of the dead man and the sufferer within a few feet of him. CHAPTER VIII. A STRANGE BURIAL. The courier on the trail of Landlord Larry found him and his half-hundred miners trailing the mountains and valleys over in search of some trace of the coming of the road-agents to the scene of the tragedy, and their going therefrom. But the search of the evening before, and up to the arrival of Wall at noon, when they had gone into camp, had been wholly in vain. Not a hoof-track could be found of the road-agents' horses, nor a place where they had lain in wait until the stage came along. Landlord Larry was not one to waste energy upon impossibilities, and after reading Doctor Dick's letter he decided to return with his men to Last Chance. They set out soon after the midday rest and arrived in Last Chance just as all was in readiness for the burial of Dave Dockery and Brassy, for a double funeral was to be had. The landlord dismissed his men and went at once to the quarters of Doctor Dick, who greeted him warmly and asked: "Any success?" "Not a bit." "Too bad." "We could not find the photograph of a trail and to search longer was a waste of time, so as the men wished to go to Dave's funeral, I just came in." "It was about all you could do under the circumstances, Larry." "I see that they have got the corpse you furnished rigged out for burial too." "Brassy?" "Yes." "Why not, for he has a number of friends?" "Don't fear no trouble, do yer?" "No, I think not, for Brassy prescribed for himself and I administered the medicine." "Served him right for playing with edged tools." "I will not say that, poor fellow, for life was dear to him; but he should have been more careful." "We will go together to the burial."