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said, surprising her by replying to her query, ‘is that we take Sheriff Harker out before we hit the bank. The kid can take care of Harker.’
    Gloria was startled then, as Klugg turned his upper body, drawing his gun as he did so. In thestillness the sound when he fired the peacemaker was ear-splitting. Klugg had returned his gun to its holster in a fluid movement when Gloria turned her head to look over her shoulder . A gopher that had been innocently sneaking past some yards behind them, was now splattered bloodily over the grass, completely shattered by Klugg’s bullet. Impressed by Klugg’s speed, Gloria was astounded by the fact that in a split second he had either heard or sensed the small creature behind him, and had known its exact position. It was a frightening reminder of what a dangerous man Ken Klugg was.
    ‘Just keeping the eye and the hand in,’ he smilingly explained, patting his holstered gun.
    Worried by the thought of Richie Deere, a complex but nevertheless likeable kid, going up against a sheriff renowned for his fast draw, Gloria said, ‘Obviously you could face this George Harker, Ken, but surely young Richie isn’t up to it?’
    ‘Face Harker?’ Klugg chuckled. ‘I’m not going to ask the kid to face the sheriff, Gloria. I can’t risk losing Deere before hitting the bank.’
    Getting the message, that Richie would simply wait in the shadows to dry gulch the sheriff, Gloria said, ‘That’s a relief. Yancey is a lively place, Ken, and it will take all of us to pull off the raid.’
    ‘That’s why I need to know more about the place before I send the kid to get Harker.’
    ‘Sounds to me that I’ll soon be riding back into Yancey all on my lonesome,’ Gloria commented drily.
    Taking Gloria’s sketch of the layout of Yancey’s bank from his pocket, Klugg studied it before saying, ‘You did fine with this, Gloria, and meeting the sheriff’s girl sure was lucky. Go back to Yancey and make some excuse to see that girl. Find out from her how many deputies Harker can call on, and if Vejar will be backing the sheriff .’
    ‘I’ll ride out at first light,’ Gloria told him, but Klugg shook his head.
    ‘You’ll leave for Yancey right now,’ he ordered. ‘If Vejar’s warned the town that we’re coming, then we have to hit them before they can organize a defence. You ride out now, and be back here before sundown tomorrow with a full report.’
     
    Stretched out on a cot in the cell that had become his home, a cut and bruised Vejar winced as Raya gently bathed his battered face. As George Harker had stayed with them since he’d brought her in to tend his wounds, Vejar and Raya had had little chance of any real conversation. The reunion between him and thegirl had been a non-event, with Raya embarrassed and strangely detached. Every word that they spoke to each other was self-censored due to Harker being present. If the sheriff sensed the strange atmosphere, he certainly didn’t show it.
    The three of them were the sole occupants of the jailhouse. Not wanting to tie himself down with prisoners at such a time, Harker had not arrested the Poole brothers. After helping the badly beaten Vejar from the saloon to the jailhouse the previous night, a disappointed George Harker reported that the Lazy J ranch was busy with a roundup ready for a trail drive, and the owner could spare him only six men.
    ‘That’s not enough, George,’ Vejar had warned.
    ‘It’s all I’ve got,’ the sheriff had replied resignedly. ‘There would be no problem if you were with me, Fallon.’
    ‘That’s not possible, George. I’ll stick around long enough to see you set up right to take care of Klugg, then I’ll be riding out.’
    ‘The way you spoke had me real certain that you owed Klugg no loyalty.’
    ‘I don’t,’ had been Vejar’s response. He saw no reason to explain that he couldn’t draw his gun against Gloria Malone or against Richie Deere, a hero-worshipping kid who had become his