"
"He did it."
"Yes," shortly. "He did it." He gathered up the loose money, pushed a
button set in the table, and upon the prompt appearance of the cashier
said crisply, "Five thousand to apply on the Pollard-Thornton agreement.
Put it in the big safe immediately."
"He looks as though he could take care of himself," the girl said
thoughtfully when the money had gone.
Templeton whirled about upon her, his eyes blazing.
"Take care of himself!" he scoffed. "What chance has a man to take care
of himself when another man puts a rifle ball through his back? What
chance had Bill Varney of the Twin Dry Diggings stage only three weeks
ago? Varney is dead and the money he was carrying is gone, that's the
chance he had! What chance has any man had for the last six months if he
carried five hundred dollars on him and any one knew about it? They
chased off a dozen steers from Kemble's place not three days ago, you
yourself know what happened at Drury's road house last night, and now
Buck Thornton rides through the same country with five thousand dollars
on him!"
"He did it," she repeated again very softly, her eyes musing.
"And one of these days he's going to find out how simple a matter it is
for a gang like the gang operating in broad daylight in this country now
to separate a fool and his money! The Lord knows how a simple trick like
coming in three days ahead of time fooled them.
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