ted
it. Pannikins were set down upon the ground, and, to a man, the rest
followed in their leader's wake. Tresler went too, but he went only
because he knew it would be useless--even dangerous--to hold back. The
general inclination was to follow the lead of this volcanic man.
Besides, he had only voiced that which appealed to them all. The
gospel of restraint was not in their natures. Only Joe Nelson really
endorsed Tresler's opinion. But then Joe was a man who had lived his
youth out, and had acquired that level-headedness from experience
which Tresler possessed instinctively. Besides, he was in touch with
Diane. He had lived more than ten years on that ranch, during which
time he had stood by watching with keenly observant eyes the doings of
the cattle world about him. But he, too, in spite of his own good
reason, moved on to the verandah with the rest.

And Jake saw the movement and understood, and he reached the verandah
first and warned the blind man of their coming.

And Tresler's prophecy was more than fulfilled. As they came they saw
the rancher rise from his seat. He faced them, a tall, awesome figure
in his long, full dressing-gown. His large, clean-cut head, his gray,
clipped beard, the long aquiline nose, and, overshadowing all, his
staring, red eyes; even on Arizona he had a damping effect.

"Well?" he questioned, as the men halted before him. Then, as no
answer was forthcoming, he repeated his inquiry. "Well?"

And Arizona stepped to the front. "Wal, boss, it's this a-ways," he
began. "These rustlers, I guess----"

But the blind man cut him short. The frowning brows drew closer over
the sightless eyes, which were focussed upon the cowpuncher with a
concentration more overpowering than if their vision had been
unimpaired.

"Eh? So you've been listening to young Orr," he said, with a quietness
in marked contrast to the expression of his face. "And you want to get
after them?" Then he shook his head, and the curious depression of his
brows relaxed, and a smile hovered round his mouth. "No, no, boys;
it's useless coming to me. Worse than useless. You, Arizona, should
know better. There are not enough ranches round here to form a
lynching party, if one were advisable. And I can't spare men from
here. Why, to send enough men from here to deal with this gang would
leave my place at their mercy. Tut, tut, it is impossible. You must
see it yourselves."

"But you've been robbed before, sir," Arizona broke o