Sautee hurried toward the door with Rathburn following him closely. When they were outside Rathburn directed Sautee across the street. When they reached Rathburn's horse Rathburn quickly mounted and motioned to the mines manager to precede him into the timber behind the little village. When they gained the shelter of the timber they gradually circled around until they struck a trail which led up above the mine. They started up this, Sautee leading the way on foot with Rathburn following on his horse and keeping his gun trained on the mines manager's back. "Don't worry," Rathburn crooned. "I won't shoot you in the back, Sautee. That wouldn't be accordin' to my ethics. But I'd have to stop you if you made a break to leave the present company." Sautee plodded on, his breath coming in gasps, the perspiration standing out on his forehead. The trail joined with another well-worn path a short distance above the mine. The eastern sky now was light, and Rathburn saw a stone building above them. He also saw that they were on the steep slope of the big mountain on which the Dixie Queen was located, and that there was a rift in this mountain to the left which indicated the presence of a pass there. In a few minutes they reached the stone building. It had an iron door across which was painted the legend: DANGER POWDER--DYNAMITE KEEP AWAY Rathburn dismounted and tossed the reins over his horse's head so the animal would stand. "That place looks like a natural jail," he commented. "It's the mine's powder house," said Sautee, wiping his wet forehead. "Sure," Rathburn rejoined, "that's just what it is. I expect there's enough powder in there to blow half this mountain off." He walked to the door and took out his gun as he examined the padlock. "What are you going to do?" asked Sautee excitedly. "I'm goin' to blow the lock off," said Rathburn coolly. "Don't do it!" cried Sautee. "There's high-percentage dynamite in there and T N T caps that we use on road work--dozens of boxes of it. You might set it off!" Rathburn looked at the quaking mine manager speculatively. "That's right," he said finally, turning aside to grin to himself. "I guess any little jar might start it workin'. It goes off easy, I've heard." "There are caps and detonators in there, too," said Sautee quickly. "You might shoot into them some way, you never can tell. Well, it would be as bad for you as for me." He uttered the last sentence in a note of triumph. Rathburn was looking at the far-flung view below. He turned a hard gaze on Sautee. "What difference do you suppose it would make to me if that stuff in there goes off?" he demanded in a harsh voice. "Look down there!" Sautee looked and drew in his breath with a gasp.