Boland promised to be something of a handicap; which, had he but known it, was all the better for the intents of Mr.Something Dewing.
* * * * * For Mr.Dewing had not made good his strategic retreat to Old Mexico.
When Pete Johnson left the card room Dewing disappeared, indeed, taking with him his two confederates.

But they went no farther than to a modest and unassuming abode near by, known to the initiated as the House of Refuge.

There Mr.Dewing did three things: first, he dispatched messengers to bring tidings of Mr.Johnson and his doings; second, he wrote to Mr.Mayer Zurich, at Cobre, and sent it by the first mail west, so that the stage should bring it to Cobre by the next night; third, he telegraphed to a trusty satellite at Silverbell, telling him to hold an automobile in readiness to carry a telegram to Mayer Zurich, should Dewing send such telegram later.

Then Dewing lay down to snatch a little sleep.
The messengers returned; Mr.Johnson and his Eastern friend were foregathered with Joe Benavides, they reported; there were horses in evidence--six horses.

Mr.Dewing rose and took station to watch the jail from a safe place; he saw Stanley come out with Boland.