marry me."

"Everything in time, sir!" she reproved him. "Get your muttons out of the
way and then you can have me."

Larkin groaned. Then he said:

"If anything comes for me or anybody wants me, I want you to do as I would
do if I were here. Things are coming to a climax now and I must know all
that goes on. Watch Stelton especially. He is crooked somewhere, and I'm
going to get him if it takes me the rest of my life."

Suddenly there was a loud knock from outside the girl's bedroom door, and
they both listened, hardly daring to breathe.

"Julie, let me in!" cried Mrs. Bissell's querulous voice. "Where's your
father?"

"Run, dear boy, for your life!" breathed the girl.

Larkin kissed her swiftly and hurried back to the underbrush, where Sims
was awaiting him in an access of temper.

"Great Michaeljohn, boss!" he growled as they rode along the bank, "ain't
yuh got no consideration fer me? From the way yuh go on a person'd think
yuh were in love with the girl."

CHAPTER XVI

A MESSAGE BY A STRANGE HAND

What were the feelings of Mr. Mike Stelton that dawn had better be
imagined than described. The first he knew of any calamity was when Mrs.
Bissell, unable to find her husband near the house, shook him frantically
by the shoulder.

"Get up, Mike," she cried into his ear. "Somethin's wrong here. Henry's
nowhere around."

Dazed with sleep, unable to get the proper focus on events, the foreman
blundered stupidly about the place searching cursorily, and cursing the
helplessness of Beef Bissell.

Presently he got awake, however, and perceived that dawn was coming up in
the east. Then he reveled in the delightful anticipation of what was to
occur out under the old cottonwood along the river bank. Mentally he
licked his chops at the prospect of this rare treat. He intended if
possible to make Juliet witness her lover's degradation.

After vainly hunting some valid excuse for Bissell's untimely departure,
Stelton thought he would call the boys, which he did. Then he turned his
attention to the bunk-house, for he knew the cowmen were in a hurry to get
away and would want to be called early.

"All out!" he bawled jovially, thrusting his head in at the door.

Not a sound came in response. Then for the first time Stelton had a
premonition of trouble. He walked into the bunk-house and took quick note
of the ten tumbled but empty bunks. Also of the ten belts and revolvers
that hung on wooden pegs along th