broken off in his speech and stared at her as though at an
apparition. When she had vanished, he spoke to Reilly:

"Who's that?"

Reilly shrugged his shoulders, then without further question the
Kid turned back towards the empty theatre and out of the back
door.

He moved nonchalantly till he was outside, then with the speed of
a colt ran down the narrow planking between the buildings, turned
parallel to the front street, leaped from board to board, splashed
through puddles of water till he reached the next alley. Stamping
the mud from his shoes and pulling down his sombrero, he sauntered
out into the main thoroughfare.

Dextry and his companion had crossed to the other side and were
approaching, so the gambler gained a fair view of them. He
searched every inch of the girl's face and figure, then, as she
made to turn her eyes in his direction, he slouched away. He
followed, however, at a distance, till he saw the man leave her,
then on up to the big hotel he shadowed her. A half-hour later he
was drinking in the Golden Gate bar-room with an acquaintance who
ministered to the mechanical details behind the hotel counter.

"Who's the girl I saw come in just now?" he inquired.

"I guess you mean the Judge's niece."

Both men spoke in the dead, restrained tones that go with their