“This is my pardner, Chuck Meade,” said Slim, introducing his companion and the range boss of the Box B.
“Glad to know you,” said Chuck, as he shook Joe Haines’ hand with real warmth.
“Hear you’ve signed on to work with us and I’m glad of it. We need all the good boys we can get.”
The foreman hurried on into the office and Slim and Chuck had an opportunity to talk alone.
“You mean what didn’t quite happen? Well, it was about half an hour after you left and I was still trying to wake up when I heard someone creeping along outside the front of the office. We had all of the curtains pulled down but it was so hot we had to leave the door open. I blew out the lamp and jumped through the doorway. In the darkness I stumbled and when I got up the hombre that had been trying to do the sneak act was running down the street past the hotel. I let him have a few slugs to stir things up, but I missed him.”
“I know it. Here’s what I found outside this morning. The fellow was in such a hurry he dropped it.”
Chuck pulled out a revolver which he had stuck in the belt of his trousers.
“We were afraid something like this might have happened. Joe Haines told me his boss was taking some cash to the bank at Brighton and had planned to ride around Dirty Water in the night and take the train at Mopstick. You see any money on him?”
Just then Joe Haines emerged from the Doctor’s office.
“If one of you boys will go around to the stable and get the team ready, we’ll start for the ranch. We’re taking the boss home. The money is safe.”
“Good thing,” said Chuck. “I’ll get the team.”
Fifteen minutes later they carried the owner of the Box B out of the office and placed him on a mattress in the bottom of the wagon. Slim had settled for their room at the hotel and at the same time had made the purchase of the mattress. Joe Haines took the reins of the team while Slim had a lead rope on Joe’s horse. They eased across the shallow bed of Stony creek and started the dusty ride to the ranch.
As they moved away from Dirty Water, Slim turned in his saddle. Hal Titzell, immaculately dressed, was standing on the stoop of the Palace Hotel, watching the small cavalcade and Slim thought that the expression on the face of the cattle buyer was anything but pleasant.