"Shall I get the money you gave 'im?" asked Bill
"No," snapped the desperado. "Jesse James does not rob dead men's pockets. It's his. Let him have it."
Strangely enough to the outlaws the shot had attracted no attention. And mounting they rode leisurely up the street toward the store where the second bank was located. He could see the remaining members of the band lounging recklessly about in the street in front of the place, and wondering at the delay.
"Something must have gone wrong," he muttered, urging his horse along a little faster.
Just then the ground under them was shaken by a dull heavy explosion. People came flocking from shop and saloon and curious scared faces appeared at the open windows of upper stories.
"It's the bank!" was the startling cry, taken up from mouth to mouth and passed along down the village street, as a shouting, gesticulating, yelling mob rushed to the store where the second bank was located.
The desperado saw his men coolly swing themselves into their saddles and face the mob with leveled Winchesters.
A rain of scattered shots began to patter about those in front of the bank. But the men held their fire, ordering the people back on the pain of instant death.
A thirty-two stung Comanche Tony in the cheek.
Throwing his Winchester to his shoulder he shot the man who had wounded him, dead.
The citizens answered with a volley. At that the desperadoes pumped their magazines, into the crowd, until they were emptied and then released their revolvers from their holsters began fanning the mad mob with deadly effect.
Jesse, having secured the gunny sack firmly to his saddle, and so that it might not impede his movements, rode still leisurely along.
Suddenly he espied Frank running down the steps of the store. Like his younger brother, Frank also bore a gunny sack and from the manner in which Frank was carrying it, Jesse understood that his brother had succeeded in his mission of plunder.
Frank swung into his saddle under a perfect storm of bullets.
With a wild whoop and a savage yell the great desperado and his immediate companions dug the rowels of their spurs into their horses and charged down on the crowd.
The mob taken suddenly by surprise at this attack on their flank, ceased firing and fell swiftly back.