"Do you intend to go there--to the sheriff's office--to-night?" he questioned. Hollis looked quickly at him. "Of course!" he said with emphasis. "Why?" he interrogated. "Nothing," returned Potter; "only----" he hesitated and then blurted out: "I wouldn't go if I were you. They've been saying that if you do there'll be trouble. You know what that means." "Who has been saying that?" inquired Hollis. "I heard it at noon--in the Silver Dollar. Some of Dunlavey's men sat near me and I heard them saying that Watkins was to win if they had to put two or three of his chief opponents out of business." "I have been expecting that," returned Hollis. He said nothing more and Potter, having done his duty, felt that he had no business to interfere further. Shortly after dark there was a clatter of hoofs outside the _Kicker_ office and four men dismounted from their ponies and strode to the office door. They were Norton, Ace, Lanky, and Bud. Evidently Hollis had been awaiting their coming, for he met them at the door, greeting them with the words: "We'll be going at once; it's about time." Followed by Potter the five strode rapidly down the street. When they arrived at the sheriff's office there were a number of men congregated about the door. Inside a kerosene lamp flickered on a table that sat in the center of the room. Another lamp stood on Watkins's desk, and beside the desk sat Watkins himself. Conversation died away as Hollis and his men approached the door and stood in the stream of light from the interior. A man stepped out of the shadow of the building and approached Hollis, drawing him and Norton aside. It was Allen. The latter had lost some of the sprightliness that had marked his manner during his conversation with Hollis in the _Kicker_ office that morning--he was again the cool, deliberate, steady-eyed man he had been that day in Judge Graney's office when Hollis had met him the first time. "I've been waitin' for you," he said; "we're goin' to have a scrumptuous time. Dunlavey's planning to pack her." He swept a hand toward the interior of the office. "But each candidate is to be allowed two witnesses. I've selected you two. Dunlavey and Greasy are doing the honors for Watkins. We might just as well go inside; we can't do anything out here. There won't be anything done by any of this gang until Dunlavey says the word." He turned and stepped into the sheriff's office, Hollis and Norton following. Watkins looked up and surveyed them with a bland smile as they entered and dropped quietly into the several chairs that had been provided. "I reckon she's goin' to be some hot tonight?" significantly remarked Watkins, addressing himself to Allen. "Maybe," grinned Allen. "We're goin' to take a hand in handlin' the Law," significantly remarked Norton. Watkins's face reddened. He stared offensively at Hollis.