e and Dr. Marshall
again," said Aunt Eleanor. "You'll be careful, won't you?"

"So am I, ma'am.--Yes, I'll run slow."

"But how will you come back?" queried Anne.

"Collie has gone ahead with a spare pony. Good-bye, aunty."

"I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for Billy. I am so
glad he's well and strong again. We never could manage him. Good-bye,
and tell Billy he _must_ come over and see us right away."

"You'll drive carefully?" queried Aunt Eleanor again.

"Jest like I was goin' to get pinched," said Overland, bowing.

* * * * *

As Collie rode down the last pitch, leading the restive Sarko, Dick
Tenlow stepped from the brush. "'Morning, Collie. Out for a little
pasear?"

"Shouldn't wonder, Dick."

"Horses are lookin' good. Feed good on the hills yet?"

"Pretty good."

"I hear you got company up to the Moonstone."

"Yep. Eastern folks, doctor and his wife." And Collie looked the deputy
hard in the eye.

"Oh, that was their machine I heard coughin' up the canon last night,
eh?"

"I didn't ask them about that," replied Collie.

"You're improvin' since you first come into these hills," said Tenlow,
with some sarcasm.

"I'm holdin' down a better job than I did then," said Collie
good-naturedly.

"Well, I ain't. I'm holdin' the same job, which you will recollect. It
ain't much of a job, but it's good to requisition that cayuse you're
leadin'."

"What you kiddin' about?"

"Straight goods," said Tenlow, reaching for Sarko's reins. "Just hand
over your end of that tie-rope."

"I guess not, Dick. You're on the wrong trail. What do you think I am?"

"Same as I always thought."

"Then you want to change your opinion of me," said Collie, relinquishing
the tie-rope. "I ain't breaking the law, but you are going to hear more
about this."

"I'll risk that. You can ride right along, pronto."

"And you keep Sarko? I guess not! I'll stick."

"You can't throw no bluff this morning," said Tenlow, irritated by the
youth's persistence. "I guess you know what I mean."

"You got the horse, but I don't leave here without him," said Collie
stubbornly. And there was an underlying assurance about Collie's
attitude that perplexed the deputy, who was satisfied that the led horse
was for Overland Red's use.

Saunders, hiding back in the brush, cursed Tenlow's stupidity. To have
let Collie go on and have followed him under cover would have been the
only sensible