, knowing how they hated you
and what a big chance there was that they would murder you?"

"I took a chance, I reckon. But it looked good to me."

"If I had told them you and I were alone--"

"I figured you wouldn't do that. I had a notion my bluff would stick.
They wouldn't think I'd come to them unless I had strong backin'. The
bigger the bluff the better the chance of its workin'."

"Unless I had told that there were only two of us."

"That was one of the risks I had to gamble on, but I felt easy in my
mind about that. You'll notice one thing if you stay with the Rangers,
Art. They can get away with a lot of things they couldn't pull off as
private citizens. The law is back of us, and back of the law is the
State of Texas. When it comes to a showdown, mighty few citizens want to
get us after them good and hard. We always win in the end. The bad-men
all know that."

"Just the same, for cold nerve I never saw the beat of what you did
now."

"Sho! Nothin' to that. A pair of deuces is good as a full house when
your hand ain't called. We'll swing over to the left here an' gather up
that bunch of rustled stock, Art."

Late that afternoon, as they were following the dust of the drive,
Ridley voiced a doubt in his heart.

"Isn't there a chance that the Dinsmores will follow us and find out
we're alone?"

"Quite a chance," agreed Jack cheerfully. "If so, we're liable to swap
bullets yet. But I don't reckon they'll do that hardly. More likely
they're hittin' the trail for Palo Duro to hole up."

The outlaws did not molest them during the drive. Four days later they
reached town with their thirsty, travel-worn herd.

Captain Ellison was at the hotel and Jack reported to him at once.

The eyes of the little Ranger Chief gleamed. "Good boys, both of you. By
dog, the old man won't write me any more sassy letters when he reads
what you done. I always did say that my boys--"

"--Were a bunch of triflin' scalawags," Jack reminded him.

The Captain fired up, peppery as ever. "You light outa here and see if a
square meal won't help some, you blamed impudent young rascal."

CHAPTER XXXII

THE HOLD-UP

When Wadley made to Jack Roberts the offer he had spoken of to his
daughter, the face of that young man lighted up at once. But without
hesitation he refused the chance to manage the A T O ranch.

"Sorry, but I can't work for you, Mr. Wadley."

The big Texan stiffened. "All right," he said huffily. "Just as