where we get the drop on them," she
laughed. "I'll be a regular wild westerner."

"Don't do anything rash, Bet," advised Kit anxiously as she watched her
friend's flushed face.

"Trust me!" Bet picked up a weapon and held it awkwardly in her hand.
It was the first time she had handled a loaded gun and it gave her a
thrill.

"Can you shoot, Bet?" asked Kit. "Do you know enough to pull the
trigger?"

"No, I don't know a thing about it, I'll have to put up a bluff!"

When they heard a step on the trail. Bet aimed her gun.

"Hands up!" ordered Bet and there was no sign of fear in her voice.

The ruffians raised their hands high in the air, but the foremost one
smiled.

Bet's anger rose. "Don't come a step nearer! And don't fool yourself!
We know how to shoot--and shoot to kill!"

Kit wanted to laugh, for Bet was repeating word for word what she had
read only a few days before in a western story.

But Bet's next question was her own. "How much is Kie Wicks paying you
for this job?" she asked.

One man started to take a step forward, but Bet's gun menaced him.

"Stand right where you are! Not a step nearer! Answer my question!"

"Five dollars apiece!" growled the second man. "'T ain't enough!"

"Of course it isn't. He short-changed you. The job is worth twice as
much," said Bet indignantly.

The men looked pleased.

"We got a five spot between us for catching the old man and tying him
up. And we are to get five each for this."

"Your master isn't very generous. Do you often work for Kie Wicks?"
asked Bet.

"No, we never saw him before. We were just passing through the
country. We went broke and he offered us this job."

"Where are you going from here?" demanded the girl.

"El Paso is home, and we want to work our way toward there," answered
the man who had done all the talking.

"Suppose I was to offer you ten apiece, would you get away from here
and not come back? In fact it wouldn't be good for you to come back
where Kie Wicks could take a shot at you."

"We'd not stick around, honest we wouldn't. By night we'd be at the
nearest railroad station." Both men made a motion to come toward the
girls but were stopped by Bet's menacing weapon.

"All right, go to the edge of the cliff there, and stand with your
backs to us. If you dare to turn around, you'll be dead men."

The ruffians backed away for a few feet, then turned and walked to the
cliff.

"Halt!" shouted Bet, and the