hey had been close
friends at school, and the latter had been urging Helen to pay a visit
to Cheyenne. The message she sent was as follows:

Battle imminent between outlaws and cattlemen here. Bloodshed certain
to-night. My foreman last night killed in self-defense a desperado.
Bannister's gang, in league with town authorities, mean to lynch him
and one of my other friends after dark this evening. Sheriff will do
nothing. Can your husband send soldiers immediately? Wire answer.

The operator looked up sullenly after his fingers had finished the last
tap. "Well?"

"Just one thing more," Helen told him. "You understand the rules of the
company about secrecy. Nobody you knows I am sending this message. If by
any chance it should leak out, I shall know through whom. If you want to
hold your position, you will keep quiet."

"I know my business," he growled. Nevertheless, she had spoken in
season, for he had had it in his mind to give a tip where he knew
it would be understood to hasten the jail delivery and accompanying
lynching.

When she returned to the hotel? Helen found Missou waiting for her.
She immediately sent him back to the office, and told him to wait there
until the answer was received. "I'll send one of the boys up to relieve
you so that you may come with the telegram as soon as it arrives. I
want the operator watched all day. Oh, here's Jim Henson! Denver has
explained the situation to you, I presume. I want you to go up to the
telegraph office and stay there all day. Go to lunch with the operator
when he goes. Don't let him talk privately to anybody, not even for a
few seconds. I don't want you to seem to have him under guard before
outsiders, but let him know it very plainly. He is not to mention a wire
I sent or the answer to it--not to anybody, Jim. Is that plain?"

"Y'u bet! He's a clam, all right, till the order is countermanded." And
the young man departed with a cheerful grin that assured Helen she had
nothing to fear from official leaks.

Nora, from answering a telephone call, came to report to the general
in charge. "The doctor says that he has looked after Mr. Bannister, and
there is no immediate danger. If he keeps quiet for a few days he ought
to do well. Mr. McWilliams sent a message by him to say that we aren't
to worry about him. He said he would--would--rope a heap of cows on the
Lazy D yet."

Nora, bursting into tears, flung herself into Helen's arms. "They are
going to kill him. I k