k to lay off
you, son. When Dan showed up again at the park, he bumped into Miss
Beulah and said some pleasant things to her. He hadn't noticed that
Jeff was just round the corner of the schoolhouse fixing up some dingus
as a platform for the last day's speaking. Jeff always was hot-headed.
Before he had got through with Mr. Meldrum, he had mussed his hair up
considerable. Dan tried to gun him and got an awful walloping. He hit
the trail to Jess Tighe's place. When Mr. Rutherford heard of it, he
was annoyed. First off, because of what had happened at the depot.
Second, and a heap more important, because the jailbird had threatened
Miss Beulah. So he straddled a horse and called on Dan, who shook the
dust of Huerfano Park from his bronco's hoofs _poco tiempo_."

"Where has he gone?" asked Roy.

"Nobody knows, and he won't tell. But, knowing Meldrum as we do,
Rutherford and I have come to a coincidentical opinion, as you might
say. He's a bad actor, that bird. We figure that he's waiting in the
chaparral somewhere to pull off a revenge play, after which he means
_pronto_ to slide his freight across the line to the land of old Porf.
Diaz."

"Revenge--on Jeff Rutherford--or who?"

"Son, that's a question. But Jeff won't be easily reached. On the
whole, we think you're elected."

Roy's heart sank. If Meldrum had been kicked out of Huerfano Park,
there was no room for him in New Mexico. Probably the fear of the
Rutherfords had been a restraint upon him up to this time. But now
that he had broken with them and was leaving the country, the man was
free to follow the advice of Tighe. He was a bully whose prestige was
tottering. It was almost sure that he would attempt some savage act of
reprisal before he left. Beaudry had no doubt that he would be the
victim of it.

"What am I to do, then?" he wanted to know, his voice quavering.

"Stay right here at the ranch. Don't travel from the house till we
check up on Meldrum. Soon as he shows his hand, we'll jump him and run
him out of the country. All you've got to do is to sit tight till we
locate him."

"I'll not leave the house," Roy vowed fervently.

Chapter XXI

Roy Rides his Paint Hoss

But he did.

For next day Pat Ryan rode up to the Lazy Double D with a piece of news
that took Roy straight to his pinto. Beulah Rutherford had
disappeared. She had been out riding and Blacky had come home with an
empty saddle. So far as was known, B