h Monty. The plan had worked. That was all he knew.

"Come, we've lost time enough," said Mr. Sherwood. "Two of you fellows
will have to ride double. One take Injun, the other Dorgan. Injun, you
take Dorgan's gun, and if he makes a break, plug him."

But Dorgan didn't want to go back to the Hanley Ranch, and suddenly he
became very talkative. He could explain about the money and Monty and
everything.

"No time for chinning," Bill Jordan said. "Boost him up."

"Would you b'lieve a Injun 'stead o' me?" Dorgan wailed, as he was being
boosted onto the horse of a disgusted cowboy.

"Sure--a rattlesnake," declared Bill. And the party started, Injun
proudly carrying Dorgan's reloaded six-gun.

Except for the horses bearing double the rest of the ride was made at
breakneck speed. When the vigilantes approached the Hanley Ranch house,
a noise was heard such as is supposed to come from Donnybrook Fair. They
headed for the sounds, but as they arrived the racket had ceased. It was
followed by an ominous stillness. This, in turn, was broken by a woman's
scream.

Over a score of men, most of them half drunk, were gathered in front of
a large barn. From the ridge of this projected a derrick-beam with a
pulley through which a rope was roved. One end of the rope was in the
hands of several threshers, the other was in a noose around Gil Steele's
neck. Mrs. Steele was being bound and gagged by other men. The action of
the group came to an abrupt standstill as the vigilantes dismounted and
crowded into the foreground.

"Unloose that rope," said Mr. Sherwood. He released Mrs. Steele himself.

The man who seemed to be the thresher's leader glanced around at the
vigilantes, their number, their rifles, and their Colt guns. He unloosed
the rope.

"Now, what's all this about?" demanded Mr. Sherwood, seeing that danger
was averted.

In an instant Babel broke loose. The sober and half-drunken men and Gil
Steele began loud and angry explanations. Steele was interrupted by his
wife, who staggered and almost fell as she threw herself on his breast
and fainted. Thus was the step from tragedy to comedy taken, but no one
thought of laughing. The tragedy was too close.

Then came another interruption: the arrival of the double-laden horses
with Injun and Dorgan. When the latter was dragged into the group, and
the bag of money thrown on the ground in front of him, there was another
ominous silence. Gil Steele released himself from his wife,