ose of the other man.

"Because an innocent man is under a cloud. You know Tony didn't kill
him. He's just been married. Come clean, Dinsmore."

"As a favor to you, because of what you're doin' for me?"

"I'm not doin' this for you, but to satisfy myself. But if you want to
put it that way--"

"Steve Gurley shot Ford because he couldn't be trusted. The kid talked
about betrayin' us to Ellison. If Steve hadn't shot him I would have
done it."

"But not in the back," said Jack.

"No need o' that. I could 'a' gunned him any time in a fair fight. We
followed him, an' before I could stop him Gurley fired."

The line-rider turned to the jailer. "You heard what he said, Yorky."

"I ain't deef," replied the little saddler with sulky dignity. His
shoulder was aching and he felt very much outraged.

"Ford Wadley was a bad egg if you want to know. He deserved just what he
got," Dinsmore added.

"I don't care to hear about that. Yore horse is waitin', Dinsmore. Some
one might come along an' ask inconvenient whyfors. Better be movin'
along."

Dinsmore buckled the belt round his waist and picked up the rifle.

"Happy days," he said, nodding toward Jack, then turned and slouched out
of the door.

A moment, and there came the swift clatter of hoofs.

CHAPTER XLV

RAMONA DESERTS HER FATHER

Arthur Ridley, seated on the porch between Clint Wadley and Ramona, was
annoying one and making himself popular with the other. For he was
maintaining, very quietly but very steadily, that Jack Roberts had been
wholly right in refusing to release Dinsmore.

"Just as soon as you lads get to be Rangers you go crazy with the heat,"
said the cattleman irritably. "Me, I don't go down on my ham bones for
the letter of the law. Justice! That's what I aim for to do. I don't say
you boys haven't got a right to sleep on Dinsmore's trail till you get
him. That's yore duty. But out here in Texas we'd ought to do things
high, wide, an' handsome. Roberts, by my way of it, should have shook
Homer's hand. 'Fine! You saved 'Mona's life. Light a shuck into a
chaparral _pronto_. In twelve hours I'm goin' to hit the trail after you
again.' That's what he had ought to have said."

"You're asking him to be generous at the expense of the State, Mr.
Wadley. Jack couldn't do that. Dinsmore's liberty wasn't a gift of his
to give. He was hired by the State--sent out to bring in that particular
man. He hadn't any choice but to do it," insisted Arth