Page 425 of 439

"I'm going to take him down to Gimlet Butte. Arizona and Wyoming

and Texas will have to scrap it out for him there."

"When, you get him there," Yorky said significantly.

"Yes, when I get him there," answered the Texan blandly,

carefully oblivious of the other's implication.

The moon was beginning to show itself over a hill before the

Texan and Siegfried took the road with their captive. Fraser had

carelessly let drop a remark to the effect that they would spend

the night at the Dillon ranch.

His watch showed eleven o'clock before they reached the ranch,

but he pushed on without turning in and did not stop until they

came to the Howard place.

They roused Alec from sleep, and he cooked them a post-midnight

supper, after which he saddled his cow pony, buckled on his belt,

and took down his old rifle from the rack.

"I'll jog along with you lads and see the fun," he said.