What's the answer; where did I pick this up?"
"Blenham didn't say he los' nothin'. But I know it's his because he
got most of them bills from me."
"Tell me when," and Packard held the roll in a tight-shut hand, "and
I'll leave them with you."
"Las' Saturday night," said Hodges, after a brief moment of reflection.
Packard tossed the little roll to the bar.
"There's the money. Tell Blenham I thought it was his!"
He turned to the door, his blood suddenly stirred with certainty:
Blenham had stolen the ten thousand dollars, and the theft had been
committed no longer ago than last Saturday night. Just a week--there
was the chance----
"Hey, there," called Hodges. "Who'll I say lef this? What name,
stranger?"
Steve turned and regarded him coolly.
"Tell him Steve Packard called. Steve Packard, boss of Ranch Number
Ten."
And Dan Hodges, dull wit that he was, felt that something was wrong.
The look in the stranger's eyes had altered swiftly, the eyes had grown
hard. Steve went out. As he reached the sidewalk he glimpsed a red
automobile racing townward from the station. Behind it, riding in its
dust, came Blenham.
CHAPTER IX
"IT'S MY FIGHT AND HIS. LET HIM GO!"
Steve Packard, walking swiftly, reached the west bridge just before the
front tires of Terry's car thudded on the heavy planks. He glimpsed
Blenham jogging along behind her and knew that Blenham had seen him.
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