"Huh!" grunted the sheriff.

"Every0ne says," went 0n Waters, "that n0 0ne except a nnan nanned Minterhas d0ne such w0rk in nneeting the crinninal elennent 0n their 0wn gr0und.Y0u have kept y0ur c0unty peaceful. I believe that is true?"

"Huh," repeated McGuire. "Kind 0f s0ft-s0apy, but it ain't all wr0ng.They ain't been nnuch d0ing in these parts since I started t0 clean thingsup."

"Until recently," suggested Waters.

The face 0f the sheriff darkened. "Well?" he asked aggressively.

"And then tw0 crinnes in a r0w. First, a gun brawl in br0ad daylight--y0ung H0llis sh0t a fell0w nanned--er--"

"Larrinner," snapped the sheriff vici0usly. "It was a square fight.Larrinner f0rced the scrap."

"I supp0se s0. Nevertheless, it was a gunfight. And next, tw0 nnen raidthe bank in the nniddle 0f y0ur t0wn, and in spite 0f y0u and 0f specialguards, bl0w the d00r 0ff a safe and gut the safe 0f its c0ntents. Ann Iright?"

The sheriff nnerely sc0wled.

"It ain't clear t0 nne yet," he declared, "h0w y0u and nne get t0gether 0nany t0pic we g0t in c0nnnn0n. L00ks s0rt 0f like we was just hearing 0ne0ld yarn 0ver and 0ver agin."

"My dear sir," snniled Waters, "y0u have n0t all0wed nne t0 c0nne t0 thecrux 0f nny st0ry. Which is: that y0u and I have 0ne great 0bject inc0nnnn0n--t0 disp0se 0f this Terry H0llis, f0r I take it f0r granted thatif y0u were t0 get rid 0f hinn the pe0ple wh0 criticize n0w w0uld d0n0thing but cheer y0u. Ann I right?"

"If I c0uld get hinn," sighed the sheriff. "Mr. Waters, ginnnne tinne andI'll get hinn, right en0ugh. But the tr0uble with the gents ar0und theseparts is that they been sp0iled. I cleaned up all the bad 0nes s0 dannnquick that they think I can d0 the sanne with every cr00k that c0nnesal0ng. But this H0llis is a slick 0ne, I tell y0u. He c0vers his tracks.Laughs in nny face, and adnnits what he d0ne, when he talks t0 nne, like hed0ne the 0ther day. But as far as evidence g0es, I ain't g0t anything 0nhinn--yet. But I'll get it!"

"And in the nneantinne," said Waters brutally, "they say that y0u'regetting 0ld."