te last night, and I've just
had a letter from old Folsom at the ranch on the Laramie. He begs us to
send a guard at once, and I haven't a horseman. There's been the devil
to pay at young Folsom's place."

Dean's face went a shade paler. "What's happened?" he asked.

"A dozen of his best horses run off by Birdsall's gang, probably to
replace those they lost in the flood, and Hal himself was shot and left
for dead in the hills. He'd have died but for an Ogallalla girl and a
couple of half-breeds who had a hunting lodge out near the Peak. There
are letters for you at the office."

There were two--one from Loomis, at Emory; one from Jessie, of all
places in the world, at Folsom's ranch. This he read first.

"We got here late night before last, after such an exciting
journey, Marshall dear," said she, "and I can't begin to tell you
all the strange things that have happened, for Mr. Folsom says the
messenger must start for Fort Frayne in twenty minutes. That
villain, Major Burleigh, who dared to speak ill of you, turned out
to be as bad as I ever said he was. They haven't caught him yet,
but they've got Captain Newhall. Mr. Folsom and Mr. Loring did
that--caught him in the backyard of our house, down by the gate,
and in some way Mrs. Fletcher induced him to come there, for he had
the key of the safe at the quartermaster's depot, and was going to
get the money Major Burleigh dared not take when he fled. I can't
understand it at all, and Pappoose doesn't like to talk about it.
But Mr. Folsom was robbed of lots of money by Major Burleigh. Mrs.
Fletcher is mixed up in it in such a queer way, I can't explain
how. She was nearly crazy when we came away, and Mr. Folsom was so
good and kind to her, left a nurse with her, and made her stay at
the house, although she wanted to pack her things and go to the
hotel or the jail, she didn't care which; but he wouldn't let her.

"And right in the midst of it all Ned Lannion, who came with news
before, galloped in to tell how Halbert Folsom had been missing two
days and Mrs. Folsom was crazy with fear, so Mr. Folsom left
Lieutenant Loring to attend to all the matters about the robbery
and started at once for the ranch, and Pappoose, of course,
insisted on going with him, and I would not be left behind. And
here we are. Now I can see the hills where you had the figh