"That's better, sheriff," said Rathburn with a queer smile. "You can see how I have my pride an' little superstitions. No man has ever took a gun from me but what I've got it back! Thanks, sheriff." Lamy had come out of the cellar. Several of the men seemed to recognize him, but kept their silence with dubious looks in their eyes. "My guide, sheriff," said Rathburn, pointing gayly at Lamy. "He was very kind. He showed me around the country--me not being very well acquainted around here. I had to take his gun away from him an' sort of encourage him along with my own, but he did very nicely." "Just what I thought, Neal," said Brown. "This fellow took after him an' he captured him and made him lead him. Isn't that so?" he asked of Lamy. "Just a minute, Jud," Rathburn interrupted with a frown. "I can't let the importance of this momentous occasion be transferred to a subordinate. You must ask your questions of me, as I am the central figure in this affair." The cry of a girl startled them. She came running from the kitchen where she had fled when the sheriff announced his intention to shoot through the floor. "Ed!" she cried, running to Lamy and throwing her arms about him. "Oh--Ed!" "Who is he, ma'am?" asked the sheriff. "Your husband?" "He's my brother--Ed Lamy." "I can recommend him if you need a guide who knows the country, sheriff," said Rathburn genially. "I guess he had an idea of making trouble for me at first, but I had the drop on him an' he soon saw reason. I had to knock him down last night when he got fresh, but he did very well. Of course I had an advantage on my side." He nodded toward his gun which the official still held in his hand. "Did he make you guide him?" Neal asked Lamy, noting his empty holster. Rathburn turned so that he could look at his former captive. Lamy nodded. "Yes," he replied. "I didn't know what minute I was goin' to get shot in the back." Rathburn's eyes glowed with an amused light. "I didn't have any idea of shootin' him, sheriff; he was too valuable as my escort on the tour. I wonder if the lady could spare me a cup of coffee an' a biscuit?" He glimpsed the boy in the kitchen doorway behind the sheriff. "Hello, sonny," he called cheerfully. "Did you catch those freckles from your brother?" The boy gazed at him abashed. There were actually tears in the youngster's eyes. Ed Lamy and his sister moved into the kitchen and took the boy with them. The girl had nodded to the sheriff. "She'll get you something to eat," said Neal. "What have you got on you?" He stepped to Rathburn's side. "Ah--the frisk. I see you are a regulation officer, sheriff." Rathburn's tone fairly radiated politeness and good cheer. "The silver was rather heavy. It ain't my usual style to pack much silver, sheriff. There's more of the bills in my hip pockets. Don't suppose there's more'n a thousand in the whole bundle."