.

"It's all right, Henry; I've made Stiger a prisoner."

"A prisoner!" whined the half-breed. "Ain't I suffered enough already?
My leg is somethin' fearful!" and he groaned again.

"You brought it all on yourself, Stiger, so you need not complain to
me."

"I didn't, you----"

"I won't listen to any more explanations. Throw your knife over here,
and be careful you don't hit anybody with it."

The half-breed fumed and raved, but all to no purpose, and at last the
knife came over, and was followed by the broken pistol.

"Now don't you dare to move," went on Dan, and then turned his
attention to Henry. Not far away was a little brook flowing into the
Guadalupe, and here Dan procured some water with which he bathed his
friend's wound.

The departure from the town shore had been noted by several lumbermen,
and, having heard the pistol-shots, several came over to learn if a
fight was going on. By calling out, the lumbermen managed to locate our
friends and soon came up to them. They listened to Dan's tale with
close attention.

"We ought to go fer to string the half-breed up," was the comment of
one of the woodsmen. "We've got enough trouble on hand without allowin'
sech chaps to make more."

"Thet's jest the size on it," added another. "String him up on the
spot."

But Dan would not countenance this, nor would Henry, who had now fully
recovered, although the bullet had left an ugly scratch which he was
bound to wear to the day of his death. Finally a compromise was made
with Stiger, who offered to hobble down to the river, although scarcely
able to walk. The threat to hang him had rendered the half-breed
thoroughly sober.

The return to the town was made without incident, and at the local
lockup Dan told his story, and it was decided to keep Stiger a prisoner
for the time being. He was searched, and in one of his pockets was
found some small silver trinkets, which Dan at once identified as
belonging to his father. But no trace was there of the papers relating
to the land grant.

"But these trinkets prove that Stiger was the thief," said Dan. "I
would like you to keep him a prisoner until my father can come here and
make a regular charge against him." And so the matter was allowed to
rest. Stiger was in a rage, and vowed that he would surely get even
with Dan some day.

When Henry Parker arrived home his mother was much alarmed to find that
he had been shot. Yet beyond the shock the young man had suffered