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had its namesake. Sue Beth was behind the counter again. She took the Texans’ plates off the stove and put them in front of a pair of empty stools.
    â€œThis time you’d better go ahead and eat,” she warned, “or I’m liable to be insulted.” She got the coffeepot and warmed up their coffee. “Is Chloride all right? He’s a likable old cuss.”
    â€œHe was just scratched and shaken up,” Bo said.
    â€œFrom the sound of it, though, he came pretty close to crossin’ the divide,” Scratch added.
    â€œDid the Devils hold up the Argosy gold wagon?”
    Bo nodded. “That’s right.” He gave Sue Beth an abbreviated version of the story Coleman had told the sheriff.
    â€œSeemed like there were some hard feelin’s between the sheriff and that banker fella, Davenport,” Scratch put in.
    â€œJerome Davenport knows that if things keep on like they have been, the bank may not be able to stay open,” Sue Beth said. “It relies heavily on the gold deposits from the Argosy, the Homestake, the Father De Smet, and the other big mining operations in the area.”
    â€œHave shipments from all the mines been hit?” Bo asked.
    Sue Beth thought about it, obviously going over in her mind the previous robberies by the gang. After a moment she nodded and said, “Now that the Argosy has lost a shipment, too, yes, all the big mines have been hit.”
    â€œHow do the varmints know when gold is bein’ shipped out?” Scratch wondered.
    â€œIt’s not that difficult,” Bo said. “With all these hills around, put some men with spyglasses on top of them and keep an eye on the mines. They’d be able to see when wagons were being loaded.”
    â€œWhy don’t they try some decoy shipments?”
    Bo shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe they have.” He looked at Sue Beth. “Have you heard anything about that?”
    â€œNo, but the mine owners and superintendents don’t confide their plans in me,” she said. “Now, are you going to dig into that food or just flap your gums over it all day?”
    Scratch picked up his fork and grinned. “We’re diggin’ in, ma’am, don’t you worry about that,” he assured her.
    Even though they weren’t as hot as they had been earlier, the meals were still very good. Bo and Scratch ate hungrily and enjoyed every bite. Sue Beth’s coffee was even better, strong and black just the way the Texans liked it. When they finally pushed their empty plates and cups away, Bo dug a couple of silver dollars out of his pocket and slid them across the counter to Sue Beth, who came along and scooped the coins up deftly, dropping them in a pocket in her apron.
    â€œThank you,” she said. “I hope you’ll come again.”
    â€œAs long as you’re servin’ up food like that, Miz Pendleton, I reckon you can count on it,” Scratch told her.
    He and Bo left the café. Once they were outside, Scratch went on. “How much money do we have left now?”
    â€œEnough to feed and stable our horses for a few nights.”
    â€œHow about feedin’ and stablin’ us ?”
    Bo grunted. “You may have to make up your mind whether you want them to have something to eat and a place to stay, or if we do.”
    Scratch winced. “That bad, huh?”
    Bo frowned in thought. “Yeah, but I may have an idea how to change that.”
    â€œI hope you ain’t plannin’ on us robbin’ the bank. From the sound of it, there ain’t much in there.”
    â€œNo, we’re not going to turn outlaw. I had something else in mind.” Bo pointed to a building he had spotted down the street.
    â€œWhat’s in there?” Scratch wanted to know.
    â€œThe offices of the Argosy Mining Company.”

CHAPTER 4
    â€œWait just a doggone minute,” Scratch said as he followed Bo toward the mining