o Julie as her dower.

That was a happy and hilarious dinner at the ranch. Some of the cowboys
coming in at noon from near-by ranges heard of the marriage and cheered
the bride lustily when she appeared on the veranda. Bud made himself solid
with the disgruntled punchers by walking out to them and talking over the
battle of Welsh's Butte, while he rolled cigarettes and smoked them one
after another.

Shortly afterward, Bud and Lester found themselves in a room with Smithy
Caldwell. The blackmailer, when he saw Lester, fell down in a faint, so
great was the shock to his already wrecked nervous system. The man was
really in a terrible condition both from physical fear and the tormenting
by his comrades. He started at every slight sound, whirled about fearfully
to meet any footfall that sounded near, and trembled with uncontrollable
nervous spasms.

To both the Larkins he was a piteous sight, and Bud wondered that the
miserable creature had not gone mad.

The wretch fell on his knees and pleaded with them for his life, so that
when Bud put the proposition squarely up to him that he forswear
everything in regard to the Larkin family, he could not accept it eagerly
enough.

"But about the papers that you said were in Chicago?" asked Bud.

"I lied about them," replied Smithy. "They're sewed in the lining of my
shirt. Give me your knife and I'll get 'em for you."

"Give me your shirt and I'll find them," countered Bud; and he presently
did.

Together the brothers looked them over. Every bit of incriminating
evidence was there, and as Bud slipped it all into his pocket he gave a
great sigh: "Thank Heaven, that's over!"

He did not let Caldwell off, however, without securing from him the
written and signed statement that he wanted. When all was done they let
him go, and now his mind was almost as unbalanced by joy as it had
formerly been by fear.

Bissell, knowing Caldwell's condition, had agreed to his being released on
clearing his account with the Larkins, for he realized that the man, in
fearing death, had suffered the penalty a thousand times, and that the
memory would remain with him through life, and perhaps help keep him
straight.

Shortly after Bud and Lester had joined the others on the veranda again, a
sudden scream was heard from the bunk-house, followed by the sounds of a
terrible struggle. All hands rushed around to the rear and, with drawn
revolvers, forced an entrance among the sullen rustlers.

O