sn't there and neither
was Maria, and when I went out to the barns the men were gone. Of course
something urgent might easily have taken them out on the range, but
neither Maria nor Pedro has been off the place for weeks. Besides, when I
peeped into the bunk-house everything was tossed about in confusion, as
if--Well, I was afraid something--had happened."

"Something has," stated the sheriff grimly. "The truth is, that scoundrel
Lynch has got to the end of his rope, and we're after him."

The girl's face paled, then flushed deeply. "What--what is it?" she asked
in a low, troubled voice. "What has he--"

"It's rather a long story, and I'm afraid there isn't time to stop and
tell you now," explained the sheriff as she paused. "We've got to make
every minute count. You have no idea which way they went?"

"It must have been west or south," the girl answered promptly. "If they'd
gone any other way I should have seen them."

"Fine," said Hardenberg, wheeling his horse. "Don't you worry about
anything," he added over one shoulder. "We'll be back in a jiffy."

As he and his men spurred down the slope toward the entrance to middle
pasture, the girl's eyes sought Stratton's.

"You--"

"I must." He quickly answered her unspoken question. "They'll need us to
show them the way. We'll be back, though, as soon as we possibly can.
You're not nervous, are you? You're perfectly safe, of course, with--"

"Of course," she assured him promptly. "Lynch has gone. There'll be
nothing for us to worry about here. Good-by, then, for a while. And do be
careful--both of you."

Her face was a trifle pale, and about her mouth and chin were traced a few
faint lines which hinted vaguely of forced composure. As Buck hastened to
overtake the posse, he recalled her expression, and wondered with a
troubled qualm whether she wasn't really more nervous than she let herself
appear. Perhaps she might have been more comfortable if he or Bud had
remained at the ranch-house.

"Probably it's all my imagination," he decided at length. "With Manning
there, she's perfectly safe, especially as we've got the whole gang on the
run. The ranch-house would be the very last place they'd head for."

CHAPTER XXVIII

FOREBODINGS

Almost at once they struck a fresh trail, made by a number of horsemen
riding in a bunch, which led diagonally across middle pasture. It was easy
to follow, and Hardenberg pushed his men hard to make up for delays which
were