one end Grayson entered it from the other
through the doorway leading out upon the veranda. Billy Byrne had heard
footsteps upon the boards without and he was ready, so that as Grayson
entered he found himself looking straight at the business end of a
sixshooter. The foreman halted, and stood looking in surprise first at
Billy Byrne, and then at Eddie Shorter and Mr. Harding.

"What does this mean?" he demanded, addressing Eddie. "What you doin'
here with your prisoner? Who told you to let him out, eh?"

"Can the chatter," growled Billy Byrne. "Shorter didn't let me out. I
escaped hours ago, and I've just come back from Jose's to ask you where
Miss Harding is, you low-lived cur, you. Where is she?"

"What has Mr. Grayson to do with it?" asked Mr. Harding. "How should he
know anything about it? It's all a mystery to me--you here, of all men
in the world, and Grayson talking about you as the prisoner. I can't
make it out. Quick, though, Byrne, tell me all you know about Barbara."

Billy kept Grayson covered as he replied to the request of Harding.

"This guy hires a bunch of Pimans to steal Miss Barbara," he said. "I
got it straight from the fellow he paid the money to for gettin' him the
right men to pull off the job. He wants her it seems," and Billy shot
a look at the ranch foreman that would have killed if looks could. "She
can't have been gone long. I seen her after midnight, just before I made
my getaway, so they can't have taken her very far. This thing here can't
help us none neither, for he don't know where she is any more'n we do.
He thinks he does; but he don't. The siwashes framed it on him, an'
they've doubled-crossed him. I got that straight too; but, Gawd! I don't
know where they've taken her or what they're goin' to do with her."

As he spoke he turned his eyes for the first time away from Grayson and
looked full in Anthony Harding's face. The latter saw beneath the strong
character lines of the other's countenance the agony of fear and doubt
that lay heavy upon his heart.

In the brief instant that Billy's watchful gaze left the figure of the
ranch foreman the latter saw the opportunity he craved. He was standing
directly in the doorway--a single step would carry him out of range of
Byrne's gun, placing a wall between it and him, and Grayson was not slow
in taking that step.

When Billy turned his eyes back the Texan had disappeared, and by the
time the former reached the doorway Grayson was halfw