n urging their guest to remain several days with them. He had not cons

tion of departing at once, rid

for his strange action, and they could not ask it. His fleet mare, which had been allowed to graze on the succulent grass at t

s not worth while to disturb her;

d Whitney, and then, raising his hat with

e away a few paces, for he

gh to reach the dear one, as he pressed the del

swered. "I am sor

I trust soon to see you again. Do you know why I hope Fred

d then she added, forgetting her sorrow for the mom

but father insists that I am wasting time here,

s right,

e I go back I want to make sure that you

ed and dashed across the p

ppeared in the gloom of the night. Then she turned to speak to her brother, but h

more went by and s

that the faint sound of a h

mother talked in low tones, did not disturb her, and the almost inaudible l

mes carried by it. Suddenly the reports of rifle-firing were heard, faint but distinct, and

tell that the last sounds were not made by a single animal, but by several going at a high rate of

man found matters

ntly at his house. Their messenger had gone thither to deliver it. Young Whitney had slain one of their number

as he sat in front of the rancher's house, and would not forget to tell it to his comrades, who would s

uch an attack would not be made if he was not there. Desperate and defiant as the rust

, thus removing an element of grave danger. It would have been hardly wis

him, he set his mare Queenie on an easy, swift gallop, heading south

sense he was the owner of numberless dwelling-places or "headquarters." He may be likened to a commercia

his friends, for he was working in their interests. At whichev

the remaining hours of the night, he turned the nose

as debating whether to join them or to ride on to the ranch of Dick Hawkridge, a number of m

ligent steed for warning. While Monteith Sterry could do a great deal of thinking in the saddle,

when his mare pricked up her ears, gave an almost

nted danger, and her ri

right and looked steadily in that direction, with her pretty ears thrown forwa

ng. He was out of the saddle in a twinkling, and tried a trick learned from the old hunters. He pres

orses' hoofs was heard. The number was indefinite, but, somewhat to his

and looked off to the right he expected to see the

e. They were approaching, and one of their steeds emitted a whinny, as a salutation to t

pered Ster

ing; she was too well trained to b

rn the figures of the approaching horsemen, they must a

ere hunting for him. There were at least three; and, well aware of their character

n. They were "out" for the inspector, and did not inte

one of the trio, "wher

to which Mont Sterry made a

I will attend to it, and

ward him. At a touch of the rein Queenie headed directly away, and her gait was about the same. She acted as though she shar

when his better judgment tells hi

eard the words of the men when talking to ea

s him," said one

wouldn't leave the Whitneys at th

is tongue, anyway; we

inute. Do you know any

ooking

defiant response. "What do