"It's two professional gamblers. They've been fleecing Manti's easy marks with great facility. Tonight they had Clay Levins in the back room of the _Belmont_. He had about a thousand dollars (the banker looked at Corrigan and closed an eye), and they took it away from him. It looked square, and Levins didn't kick. Couldn't anyway--he's lying in the back room of the _Belmont_ now, paralyzed. I think that somebody told Levins' wife about him shooting Marchmont yesterday, and Mrs. Levins likely sent Trevison after hubby--knowing hubby's appetite for booze. Levins isn't giving the woman a square deal, so far as that is concerned," went on the banker; "she and the kids are in want half the time, and I've heard that Trevison's helped them out on quite a good many occasions. Anyway, Trevison appeared in town this afternoon, looking for Levins. Before he found him he heard these two beauties framing up on him. That's the result--the two beauties go out. The crowd was for stringing them up, but Trevison wouldn't have it." "Marchmont?" interrupted Benham. "It isn't possible--" "Why not?" grinned Corrigan. "Yes, sir, the former president of the Midland Company was shot to death yesterday for pocket-picking." "Lord!" said Benham. "So Levins' wife sent Trevison for hubby," said Corrigan, quietly. "She's _that_ thick with Trevison, is she?" "Get that out of your mind, Jeff," returned the banker, noting Corrigan's tone. "Everybody that knows of the case will tell you that everything's straight there." "Well," Corrigan laughed, "I'm glad to hear it." The train steamed away as they talked, and the crowd began to break up and scatter toward the saloons. Before that happened, however, there was a great jam around Trevison; he was shaking hands right and left. Voices shouted that he was "all there!" As he started away he was forced to shove his way through the press around him. Benham had been watching closely this evidence of Trevison's popularity; he linked it with some words that his daughter had written to him regarding the man, and as a thought formed in his mind he spoke it. "I'd reconsider about hooking up with that man Trevison, Corrigan. He's one of those fellows that win popularity easily, and it won't do you any good to antagonize him." "That's all right," laughed Corrigan, coldly. CHAPTER XI FOR THE "KIDDIES"