ic of the patio again--together.

_If in Holland fields I met a maid
All handsome fond and gay,
And I should chance to love her
What would my Mary say?_

_What would I say, dear Willie?
That I would love her too,
And I would step to the one side
That she might speak with you!_

"Yes, you would--not!" he stated in practical prose to no one in
particular. "Not if you were our girl, would she, Pardner?"

Pardner tossed up his head in recognition of the comradeship in the
tone, and Kit Rhodes became silent, and rode on to the corrals,
happily smiling at some new thoughts.

CHAPTER III

A VERIFIED PROPHECY OF SENORITA BILLIE

That smile was yet with him when he saw the herd and the vaqueros
coming up from the water tanks, and noted Conrad and Tomas Herrara
talking together beside Conrad's automobile.

The beat of the many hoofs prevented the two men from noting one horse
near them, and words of Conrad came to him clearly.

"It has to be that way. You to go instead of Miguel. You have enough
English, you can do it."

Tomas Herrara muttered something, evidently reluctance, for again
Conrad's words were heard.

"But think of the _dinero_, much of money to you! And that fool swine
will not see what is under his nose. You can do it, sure you can!
There is no danger. The blame will be to him if it is found; my agent
will see to that. Not you but the gringo will be the one to answer the
law. You will know nothing."

He spoke in Spanish rapidly, while both men watched the approaching
vaqueros.

The smile had gone from Kit's face, and he was puzzled to follow the
words, or even trust his own ears.

"_Bueno_," said Herrara with a nod of consent. "Since Miguel is
hurt----"

"Whoa, Pardner," sang out Rhodes, back of them as he slid out of the
saddle. "Good morning, gentlemen. Do you say Miguel is hurt, Herrara?
How comes that?"

The face of Herrara went a curious gray, and his lips blue and
apparently stiff for he only murmured, "_Buenas dias_, senor," and
gulped and stared at Conrad. But the surprise of Conrad, while
apparent, was easily accounted for, and he was too well poised to be
startled unduly by any emergency.

"Hah! Is it you, Rhodes, so early? Yes, Miguel is reported hurt over
Poso Verde way. Not serious, but for the fact that he was the one to