h them, and remember that you're to get Bard back in town
unharmed--if possible."

Butch Conklin smiled, and the same smile spread grimly from face to face
among the gang. Evidently this point had already been elucidated to them
by Nash, who now mustered them out of the house and assembled them on
their horses in the street below.

"Which way do we travel?" asked Shorty Kilrain, reining close beside the
leader, as though he were anxious to disestablish any relationship with
the rest of the party.

"Two ways," answered Nash. "Of course I don't know what way Bard headed,
because he's got the girl with him, but I figure it this way: if a
tenderfoot knows any part of the range at all, he'll go in that
direction after he's in trouble. I've seen it work out before. So I
think that Bard may have ridden straight for the old Drew place on the
other side of the range. I know a short cut over the hills; we can reach
there by morning. Kilrain, you'll go there with me.

"It may be that Bard will go near the old place, but not right to it.
Chances may be good that he'll put up at some place near the old
ranchhouse, but not right on the spot. Jerry Wood, he's got a house
about tour or five miles to the north of Drew's old ranch. Butch, you
take your men and ride for Wood's place. Then switch south and ride for
Partridge's store; if we miss him at Drew's old house we'll go on and
join you at Partridge's store and then double back. He'll be somewhere
inside that circle and Eldara, you can lay to that. Now, boys, are your
hosses fresh?"

They were.

"Then ride, and don't spare the spurs. Hoss flesh is cheaper'n your own
hides."

The cavalcade separated and galloped in two directions through the town
of Eldara.

CHAPTER XXXIII

NOTHING NEW

Glendin and Dr. Young struck out for the ranch of William Drew, but they
held a moderate pace, and it was already grey dawn before they arrived;
yet even at that hour several windows of the house were lighted. They
were led directly to Drew's room.

The big man welcomed them at the door with a hand raised for silence. He
seemed to have aged greatly during the night, but between the black
shadows beneath and the shaggy brows above, his eyes gleamed more
brightly than ever. About his mouth the lines of resolution were worn
deep by his vigil.

"He seems to be sleeping rather well--though you hear his breathing?"

It was a soft, but ominously rattling sound.

"Through the lungs,