d
out. You've worked 'em too hard, Mosely."

"Those mustangs are ours. We bought 'em," said Mosely, boldly.--"Didn't
we, Tom?"

"I should say so," remarked Hadley, with striking originality.

"That's a lie, Tom," remarked Bradley, calmly, "and you know it as well
as I do."

"Are we goin' to stand that, Tom?" blustered Mosely, whose courage was
beginning to revive, as he had thus far only seen Bradley, and
considered that the odds were two to one in his favor. Of course the
Chinaman counted for nothing.

Tom Hadley looked a little doubtful, for he could see that the enemy,
though apparently single-handed, was a man of powerful frame and
apparently fearless even to recklessness. He had a strong suspicion that
Bill Mosely was a coward and would afford him very little assistance in
the event of a scrimmage.

"If you can't stand it," said Bradley, "sit down, if you want to."

Thus far, Richard Dewey had remained silent, but he wished to
participate in the defence of their property if there should be need,
and of course must be released first.

"Jake," said he, "these fellows have tied me hand and foot. They
couldn't have done it if I had not been partially disabled. Send in Ki
Sing to cut the cords."

"They dared to tie you?" said Bradley, sternly.--"Mosely, what was that
for?"

"To remove one obstacle in the way of plunder," Dewey answered for them.

"They're not only hoss-thieves, but thieves through and through. Since
they tied you, they must untie you.--Mosely, go and cut the cords."

"I am not a slave to be ordered round," returned Mosely, haughtily.

"What are you, then?"

"A gentleman."

"Then you'll be a dead gentleman in less than a minute if you don't do
as I tell you."

As he spoke he drew out his revolver and levelled it at Mosely.

The latter turned pale. "Don't handle that we'pon so careless,
stranger," he said. "It might go off."

"So it might--as like as not," answered Bradley, calmly.

"Put it up," said Mosely, nervously.--"Tom, just cut them cords."

"Tom, you needn't do it.--Mosely, you're the man for that duty. Do you
hear?"

Bill Mosely hesitated. He didn't like to yield and be humiliated before
the man over whom he had retained so long an ascendency.

"You'd better be quick about it," said Bradley, warningly. "This here
we'pon goes off terrible easily. I don't want to shoot you, but there
might be an accident. I've killed twenty-one men with it already. You'll
be the twenty