cowmen of Whitney's ranch. The man that had fallen was laid away in a grave back of the house, and mother, son and daughter mour

ersons were seated in the balmy air on the outsi

ey. The memory of the recent affliction suffered in the death of the father naturally subdued t

tion, which required him to investigate the operations of the rustlers over a large por

f square miles, and made him a marked man by the rustlers, who are always quick to identify their friends and enemies. It seemed to make little difference, however,

the rustlers, they were not long in learning that he spent a great deal of his time at the Whitneys. They came to be regar

the shadow that had fallen across the threshold

he gent

yesterday, but of the certainty t

to fear their repeti

owmen and the rustlers; I have heard our

ad her brother, now the head of the little household, decided to make his home once more in the East, f

e country through fear of those men," said the b

their next victim?" sugge

"this wound won't bother me long, and with Budd and Grizzly

f your mother and her. It will be a long time, if ever, before your parent recovers from the shock of yesterday. No matter how confident and plucky you may b

ull in the handsome face

Why do you remain where you are a marked man when there is no need o

pected that Sterry was embarrassed for

nd sister dependent

duty you owe to them to give up the dangerous calling you have adopted. You not only do not need it, but are squandering time that ought to be

fore, why I should sta

r argu

on a gallop, and speedily loomed to view in the bright moonlight. The three instinctively ceased

re the stranger had halted, Fred Whitney rose f

owboy, with rifle, revolver and a

ey?" asked the hors

at can I d

know Mon

raining from adding that he was the young man sitting a f

re to find him I would deliver it myself. Will

ddle and handed a sealed envelope to Fred

to see him soon; won't you dism

as the curt answer, as the fellow

looking after the cattle, for the rustler is a night hawk who ofte

ith her, but the mother gently refused, saying she preferred to have none with her.

er from the hand of his frie

y have a frank way of telling him so, supplemented by a littl

was not sufficiently so to show the words, which were written in lead-pencil. Fred Whitney, therefore, struck a match and he

treets of Cheyenne. I have persuaded the majority to hold off for the time named, but not one of them will do so an hour longer, nor will I ask them to do so. We are bound to make an honest living, and it is wea

H CAD