“Hold her letters, you understand?” instructed Ashby who, with the Sheriff, was alone now with The Pony Express.
“Yes, sir,” he replied earnestly. A moment later there being no further orders forthcoming he hastily took his leave.
Ashby now turned his attention to Rance.
“Sheriff,” said he, “to-night I expect to see this Nina Micheltoreña either here or at The Palmetto.”
Rance never raised an eyebrow.
“You do?” he remarked a moment later with studied carelessness. “Well, the boys had better look to their watches. I met that lady once.”
Ashby shot him a look of inquiry.
“She’s looking to that five thousand reward for Ramerrez,” he told him.
Rance’s interest was growing by leaps and bounds though he continued to riffle the cards.
“What? She’s after that?”