"Put up your iron, you old fool," he said; "we only want Jack Harkaway out of your crowd, and if we don't have him step down and out, right away, there'll be a circus here, with some dead bodies in it, mighty quick."

"Look at here," replied Foss. "I don't want people to think that I'm in this thing. You give me a message to take to Calistoga for you to this gentleman, Mr. Harkaway, and that's all there is in it."

"That is true, Foss; you are as square as they make them."

"Let us go on, then."

"Not till Harkaway gets out."

Harvey now leveled his pistol at Nappa Bill.

"You scoundrel," he said; "take that."

As before, the bullet flew wide of the mark.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Nappa Bill; "the ball isn't molded yet that can hit me."

Just then some one fired from behind, and Harvey fell into the stage with a bullet in his shoulder.