amidst the surrounding wastes of
grass-land.

The house stood on the northern slope, surrounded on three sides by a
protecting bluff of pinewoods. Then to the right of it came the
outbuildings, and last, at least one hundred and fifty yards from the
rest, came the corrals, well hidden in the bluff, instead, as is
usual, of being overlooked by the house. Certainly Widow Dangley was a
confiding person.

And so Tresler, comparatively inexperienced as he was, thought, as he
surveyed the prospect in the moonlight from the back of his mare. He
was accompanied by Sheriff Fyles, and the two men were estimating the
chances they were likely to have against possible invaders.

"How goes the time?" asked the sheriff, after a few moments' silent
contemplation of the scene.

"You've half an hour in which to dispose your forces. Ah! there's one
of your fellows riding down the opposite bank." Tresler pointed across
the valley.

"Yes, and there's another lower down," Fyles observed quietly. "And
here's one dropping down to your right. All on time. What of your
men?"

"They should be in yonder bluff, backing the corrals."

"How many?"

"Four, including the cook."

"Four, and sixteen of mine--twenty. Our two selves--twenty-two. Good;
come on."

The man led the way to the bluff. The cowboys were all there. They
received instructions to hold the position at the corrals; to defend
them, or to act as reinforcements if the struggle should take place
elsewhere. Then the two leaders passed on down into the valley. It was
an awkward descent, steep, and of a loose surface that shelved under
their horses' feet. For the moment a cloud had obscured the moon, and
Fyles looked up. A southwesterly breeze had sprung up, and there was a
watery look about the sky.

"Good," he said again, in his abrupt manner. "There won't be too much
moon. Moonlight is not altogether an advantage in a matter of this
sort. We must depend chiefly on a surprise. We don't want too many
empty saddles."

At the bottom of the valley they found the rest of the men gathered
together in the shelter of the scattered undergrowth. It was Fyles's
whole command. He proceeded at once to divide them up into two
parties. One he stationed east of the ranch, split into a sort of
skirmishing order, to act under Tresler's charge. The other party he
took for his own command, selecting an advantageous position to the
west. He had also established a code of signals to be used on