olding it in his hand,
made another scrutiny of the approaching figure.

"Je-e-mima! If he don't ride like Nick Ellhorn! I shouldn't wonder if
it's Nick!"

Presently the figure flourished a black sombrero and down the dusty
road came a yell which began full-lunged and ended in a screeching
"whee-ee-e." Tuttle answered with a loud "hello," and both men put
spurs to their horses and were soon shaking hands.

"What's the news at Plumas and out at Emerson's?" asked Tuttle.

"Oh, things are fairly quiet at Plumas just now, but you never know
when hell is going to break loose there. You're just in time, though,
for Emerson's up to his ears in fight. Goin' to stay?"

"I will if Emerson needs me. I've been with Marshal Black over to
Millbank after some counterfeiters from Colorado. He took 'em back,
and, as he didn't need me, I thought I'd just ride over here and see
if you-all mightn't be in trouble and need some help."

"Ain't after anybody, then?"

"No. But, say, Nick! I struck the darndest outfit last night! I got
regularly held up!"

"What! You! Held up?"

"Yes, I did. Sat with my hands in the air like a fool tenderfoot while
a man took my gun and cross-questioned me like a lawyer."

Ellhorn rolled and rocked on his horse with laughter. When he could
speak he demanded the whole story, which Tuttle told him in detail.

"What was their lay?" he asked.

"I'll give it up. I've thought of everything I could, and there ain't
a blamed thing that'll explain it."

"Tommy, I reckon they need to be arrested about as bad as two men ever
needed anything. Come along and we'll corral 'em."

"We've got no warrants, Nick!"

"Haven't you got any in your pockets?"

"Yes, but not for them."

"Tommy, you're a deputy marshal, and that outfit took you at a
disadvantage and misused you shameful. You're an officer of the law,
Tommy, and it was as bad as contempt of court! It's our duty to arrest
'em for it and bring 'em in."

"But we can't do it without warrants, Nick."

Ellhorn took some papers from his pocket and looked them over. "I'm
lookin' for a Mexican named Antonio Diaz," he said. "Here's the
warrant for his arrest. Violation of the Edmunds act. You say one of
these men was a Mexican. I think likely he's Antonio. We'll go and
find out. Never mind tellin' me how he looked," he went on hastily, as
Tuttle began to speak. "It's likely he's Antonio, and it's my duty to
go and find out. Of course, they'll resist arrest,