Henderson placed the gun on the desk in front of Grandon, who picked it up and looked it over carefully. "Do you recognize the gun, Henderson?" he asked. Henderson nodded slowly. "Yes, sir, I have seen it before; it belongs to Bud Conley." [Illustration] "Bud Conley?" echoed Louie. "She's rob me of everyt'ing, eh? W'at I do now?" Louie glanced helplessly around and his eyes came to rest on the two blanket-covered bodies. "That is McKay and Cree George," said Grandon softly. "They were killed yesterday or last night in Kingsburg." "W'at?" exploded Louie, crossing himself quickly. "Both men dead? _Mon Dieu_, w'y is all dis be done?" Grandon ignored Louie's question and turned back to Henderson. "Are you sure that is Conley's gun?" "Yes, sir. But perhaps someone stole it from him. Wait a moment." Henderson hurried out of the room and crossed to the barracks. He was hoping against hope that Bud might be there, but he found that Bud's personal things were all gone, and on the sleeve of Bud's service coat he found the note, which read: _So-long, Henderson. I'm pulling out now. Good luck._ _Bud._ * * * * * Grandon and Louie were crossing toward Beaudet's store as Henderson came out, and he gave, the note to Grandon, who read it and handed it back. They went into the store, where Louie showed them his rifled safe. It was an old-fashioned affair which locked with a key, and the lock had been forced. "How much money did they get?" asked Grandon. "Eight hun'red dollars," wailed Beaudet. "Right here," pointing at the floor in front of the safe, "I find de gonn. Firs' he break my heart and den he break my bank. W'at I do now, eh?" Grandon shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Beaudet. Where is Joe Burgoyne?" "Joe she's stay las' night in de old Trentoine cabin. _Mon dieu_, w'at a face she's got. I'm t'ink she's be ashame' for to be look upon." Grandon turned and walked out, with Henderson following him closely. "It looks like Conley had played the fool again," he told Henderson, "and he has a good chance to get out of the country. Thieves will have to wait until murderers are caught." Investigation proved that Bud's horse and saddle were gone, but there was no way of telling which way he had gone out of Eagle's Nest. Grandon shook his head and went back to his office. There was little he could do at present. Henderson was the only man left, and Grandon had learned that one man could do nothing at Kingsburg. The killing of McKay and Cree George and the leaving of the bodies in the street was a direct challenge to the force. Magee was a brute of a man, crafty, vindictive, suspicious, and he had surrounded himself with men who were no better than himself until Kingsburg had become known as a town of lawlessness.