But the point of the joke was lost on Brick, who was looking straight at Harp, a queer expression in his blue eyes. “Leach asked her, eh?” “Yeah.” “Before you knew about the dance, Harp?” “Yeah. It must ’a’ been before Miss Miller went to school.” “Uh-huh.” Brick rolled a cigaret thoughtfully, but did not light it. Then he removed his clothes, placed the cigaret on a chair beside the cot and got into bed. “Well,” Harp yawned and rolled into his blankets, “you’ve lost yore sense of humor, Brick—or didn’t yuh hear what I told yuh?” “I heard it all right, Harp, and I thank yuh.” “Yuh thank——” Harp raised up and squinted at Brick, but there was nothing to see, except the mop of tousled red hair against the pillow. Harp snuggled back down into his blankets and grinned to himself. He knew that Brick’s mind was pretty busy, when he failed to see a joke. * * * * * It was nearly noon when someone hammered on the office door and awoke Brick, who wrapped a blanket around himself and went to the door. It was Barney Devine. He stepped inside and Brick closed the door behind him. “Kinda forgot to wake up,” smiled Brick, shoving out a chair for Barney. “Set down while I put on some clothes.” Harp awoke and sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Hello, Barney,” he said hoarsely. “How yuh comin’?” “With a little news,” said Barney seriously. “I heard about Soapy Caswell a few minutes ago, and I’m bringing more grief. Last night, or rather about two o’clock this morning, somebody dynamited my safe.” “Dynamited your safe?” Brick had his shirt half-way on, and his head popped out the collar like a jack-in-the-box. “Completely,” nodded Barney. “In fact they ruined it.” “I’ll be ——ed!” exploded Harp. “What did they get?” asked Brick. Barney spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders. “About ten dollars. They ruined some books and a quart of good whisky—and a good safe. They also ruined one of the walls of the office.” “They must ’a’ thought there was money in that safe, didn’t they?” queried Harp. Barney looked questioningly at Brick, who grinned. “I told Harp about the hold-up, Barney.” “Well, what’s the answer?” asked Barney. “It looks to me like two gangs working, Brick. One of them evidently thought that the payroll got there O. K. Don’t it look like it to you?” Brick picked up the cigaret he had rolled before going to bed, moistened it with his tongue and scratched a match on the floor. “Yeah, it looks somethin’ like that, Barney.” “What about your payroll?” asked Harp. “I’ll have to take it from here, I suppose. Soapy told them that the payroll money would go from here today. It’s a lucky thing he spoke to them about it, because I’ve got to have that money at the mine before quitting-time today.”