d. "You speak for fair. Kit's not
much on size, but he's a whirlwind."

Shan Rhue was slowly getting on his feet. His broad, brutal face was
badly discolored where Ted's fists had come in contact with it.

One of his eyes was bloodshot and rapidly taking on a green-and-purple
hue, and his upper lip stuck out like an overhanging roof. As he looked
around and saw that the broncho boys were alone, and that he had been
left to recover as best he might by those whom he had called his friends
and supporters, he growled deep in his chest.

"The skunks," he muttered, between his swollen lips. "They'd make me
fight an' steal fer them, an' then leave me in the hole, would they?
Well, I'll make them hump fer this."

Then he looked unsteadily at Ted out of his good eye, as if he was
wondering how it all had happened. But while his glance was not as
belligerent as it had been, still there was nothing but hatred in his
expression.

Ted eyed him back fearlessly, but this time his hand rested upon the
handle of his revolver, and Stella, by his side, was on the alert also.
Shan Rhue was not one to be trusted, especially after he had met defeat.
After staring for a moment he spoke.

"I reckon yer beat me fair, young feller," he said, "although I don't
know yet how yer did it. But I want ter say ter yer now that this ain't
the end, by no means."

"That's all right," said Ted easily. "You keep out of my way, and you
will be all right."

"I go where I please, an' do what I please, an' ask ther right o' no
man," retorted Shan Rhue truculently.

"All right, go where you please, but don't run afoul of me," said Ted
sharply. "I don't want to have anything to do with such cattle as you,
and I don't propose to. Keep off my trail if you know when you're well
off. This is a friendly tip--take it or leave it."

"I don't want none o' yer tips," growled Shan Rhue. "Ye've beaten me,
an' I hate yer. Look out fer me next time, that's all."

"Yes, that's all. Skidoo! You're not pretty to look at."

Ted turned his back upon the defeated bully, but Stella did not, and had
Shan Rhue made a motion toward his gun there would have been one with a
pearl handle and trimmed with silver in commission in an instant.

With a long, malignant look after Ted, the bully turned and hobbled
slowly from the fair grounds.

"I'm going to start on the trail of Norris," said Ted. "Want to come
along, Stella?"

"You bet I do," said the girl. "Wait till I catch