sisted the New Mexican stanchly.

"Meaning the convict?"

"Call him that if you've a mind to. The Governor pardoned him yesterday
because another man confessed he did the killin' for which Dave was
convicted. The boy was railroaded through on false evidence."

The railroad builder was a fair-minded man. He did not want to be unjust
to any one. At the same time he was not one to jump easily from one view
to another.

"I noticed something in the papers about a pardon, but I didn't know it
was our young oil promoter. There are other rumors about him too. A stage
robbery, for instance, and a murder with it."

"He and Em Crawford ran down the robbers and got the money back. One of
the robbers confessed. Dave hadn't a thing to do with the hold-up.
There's a bad gang down in that country. Crawford and Sanders have been
fightin' 'em, so naturally they tell lies about 'em."

"Did you say this Sanders ran down one of the robbers?"

"Yes."

"He didn't tell me that," said Graham thoughtfully. "I liked the young
fellow when I first saw him. He looks quiet and strong; a self-reliant
fellow would be my guess."

"You bet he is." West laughed reminiscently. "Lemme tell you how I first
met him." He told the story of how Dave had handled the stock shipment
for him years before.

Horace Graham nodded shrewdly. "Exactly the way I had him sized up till
I began investigating him. Well, let's hear the rest. What more do you
know about him?"

The Albuquerque man told the other of Dave's conviction, of how he had
educated himself in the penitentiary, of his return home and subsequent
adventures there.

"There's a man back there in the Pullman knows him like he was his
own son, a straight man, none better in this Western country," West
concluded.

"Who is he?"

"Emerson Crawford of the D Bar Lazy R ranch."

"I've heard of him. He's in this Jackpot company too, isn't he?"

"He's president of it. If he says the company's right, then it's right."

"Bring him in to me."

West reported to his friends, a large smile on his wrinkled face. "I got
him goin' south, boys. Come along, Em, it's up to you now."

The big financier took one comprehensive look at Emerson Crawford and did
not need any letter of recommendation. A vigorous honesty spoke in the
strong hand-grip, the genial smile, the level, steady eyes.

"Tell me about this young desperado you gentlemen are trying to saw off
on me," Graham directed, meeting the smile with an