e dun with his spurs and trotted along the crest of the
lava ridge. At its eastern terminus he swung down into the desert and
struck straight east in the direction of Imagination Range. The
desert's surface between the lava ridge and the higher hills of the
range to eastward was cut by dry washes and arroyos and miniature
ridges studded with giant cactus.

On the top of one of these high rises the horseman suddenly reined in
his mount and stared into the south. "There's trouble--an' spelled
with a capital T!" he ejaculated.

The gaze in his keen gray eyes centered upon a number of riders
speeding their horses over the tumbled section of desert below him to
his right. He made out two divisions of horsemen. One group was some
distance ahead of the other. Even as he stared down at them, its group
separated, and some rode for Imagination Range, while others hastened
toward the lava hills, or due north in his direction. The second group
halted for a brief spell, evidently for a conference, and then its
members also divided and started in swift pursuit of the men ahead.

The watcher on the top of the rise frowned.

"Out of here, hoss," he said sharply. "This ain't our day for
visitors."

He pushed on eastward, increasing its pace, but losing time in
skirting the frequent bits of high ground. As he rode down into a deep
arroyo, a horseman came galloping into its lower end and raced almost
upon him before seeing him. His hand darted like lightning to his gun,
and the weapon snapped into aim at his hip. The horseman came to a
rearing halt, reins dangling, his hands held high, his eyes bulging
from their sockets.

"Rathburn!" he exclaimed.

"The same," said the man with the gun. "What's all the disturbance
down there?"

"Bob Long is chasing us," the other answered with a nervous grin.

"As I remember it," drawled Rathburn, "Bob Long is the sheriff of
Mesquite County. You boys sure ain't been misbehaving?"

"It's worse than that," said the fugitive, staring doubtfully at his
questioner. "The stage driver's dead. Had a notion the boss was
foolin' when he told him to reach up for the bugs in the air."

"Who does the boss happen to be in this case?"

The man hesitated.

"Take your time," said Rathburn sarcastically; "there's nobody after
you but the sheriff, an' he probably won't be along for a minute or
two."

"It won't do _you_ no good for him to find us here," said the other
boldly.

Rathburn's eyes blazed. "I