from Meldrum. The girl had not dared tell
her brother that the outlaw was still within his reach. She knew how
impulsively his anger would move to swift action.

"We Rutherfords ain't liable to forget this, Mr. Beaudry. Dad has been
'most crazy since Boots disappeared. He'll sure want to thank you
himself soon as he gets a chance," blurted Ned.

"I happened to be the lucky one to find her; that's all," Roy
depreciated.

"Sure. I understand. But you did find her. That's the point. Dad
won't rest easy till he's seen you. I'm going to take sis right home
with me. Can't you come along?"

Roy wished he could, but it happened that he had other fish to fry. He
shook his head reluctantly.

Dingwell returned with a pair of high-heeled cowpuncher's boots. "Try
these on, son. They belong to Dusty. The lazy hobo wasn't up yet. If
they fit you, he'll ride back to the ranch in his socks."

After stamping about in the boots to test them, Roy decided that they
would do. "They fit like a coat of paint," he said.

"Say, son, I'm going to hit the trail with you on that little jaunt you
mentioned," his partner announced definitely.

Roy was glad. He had of late been fed to repletion with adventure. He
did not want any more, and with Dingwell along he was not likely to
meet it. Already he had observed that adventures generally do not come
to the adventurous, but to the ignorant and the incompetent. Dave
moved with a smiling confidence along rough trails that would have
worried his inexperienced partner. To the old-timer these difficulties
were not dangers at all, because he knew how to meet them easily.

They rode up Del Oro by the same route Roy and Beulah had followed the
previous night. Before noon they were close to the prospect hole where
Roy had left the rustler. The sound of voices brought them up in their
tracks.

They listened. A whine was in one voice; in the other was crisp
command.

"Looks like some one done beat us to it," drawled Dingwell. "We'll
move on and see what's doing."

They topped the brow of a hill.

A bow-legged little man with his back to them was facing Dan Meldrum.

"I'm going along with yez as far as the border. You'll keep moving
lively till ye hit the hacienda of old Porf. Diaz. And you'll stay
there. Mind that now, Dan. Don't--"

The ex-convict broke in with the howl of a trapped wolf. "You've lied
to me. You brought yore friends to kill me."

The six-gun of