t burden your
hospitality, sir," said the sheepman.

"No, sir, I'm in on this. Whyfor can't I go?" demanded Jim.

Bannister, the outlaw, eyed him unpleasantly. "Y'u certainly can so far
as I am concerned. I owe y'u one, too, Mr. McWilliams. Only if y'u come
of your own free will, as y'u are surely welcome to do, don't holler if
y'u're not so welcome to leave whenever y'u take a notion."

"I'll try and look out for that. It's settled, then, that we ride
together. When do y'u want to start?"

"We can't go any sooner than right now. I hate to take these young
men from y'u, lady, but, as I said, I'll send them back in good shape.
Adios, senorita. Don't forget to whom y'u belong." He swaggered to the
door and turned, leaning against the jamb with one hand again it. "I
expect y'u can say those lovey-dov good-byes without my help. I'm going
into the yard. If y'u want to y'u can plug me in the back through the
window," he suggested, with a sneer.

"As y'u would us under similar circumstances," retorted his cousin.

"Be with y'u in five minutes," said the foreman.

"Don't hurry. It's a long good-bye y'u're saying," returned his enemy
placidly.

Nora and the young man who belonged to her followed him from the room,
leaving Bannister and his hostess alone.

"Shall I ever see you again?" Helen murmured.

"I think so," the sheepman answered. "The truth is that this opportunity
falls pat. Jim and have been wanting to meet those men who are under my
cousin's influence and have a talk with them. There is no question
but that the gang is disintegrating, and I believe that if we offer to
mediate between its members and the Government something might be done
to stop the outrages that have been terrorizing this country. My cousin
can't be reached, but I believe the rest of them, or, at least a part,
can be induced either to surrender or to flee the country. Anyhow, we
want to try it."

"But the danger?" she breathed.

"Is less than y'u think. Their leader has not anywhere nearly the
absolute power he had a few months ago. They would hardly dare do
violence to a peace envoy."

"Your cousin would. I don't believe he has any scruples."

"We shall keep an eye on him. Both of us will not sleep at the same
time. Y'u may depend on me to bring your foreman safely back to y'u," he
smiled.

"Oh, my foreman!"

"And your foreman's friend," he added. "I have the best of reasons for
wanting to return alive. I think y'u know them. Th