ing
to their fellow rascals the events that had led up to the shooting.

So engrossed was Bert in watching the outlaws, that he did not see or
hear the approach of a dark figure stealing up behind him. An arm shot
out and a pistol butt came down on his head with a crash. A myriad of
sparks flashed before his eyes, there was the roar of a cataract in his
ears, and he fell to the ground like a log.

When consciousness came back to him it was morning. He was lying on the
floor of the shack and the hot sun was streaming in upon him. His head
ached horribly, and for a moment he wondered where he was. Then gradually
he recalled the events of the day before, the fracas in the saloon, the
tracking of the rustlers, the looking in at the window. But then it was
night, and now it was broad daylight. What had happened to him?

He put his hand to his head and felt that his hair was matted with blood.
Then he tried to rise to his feet, but found that they were tied
together, and sank back with a groan. The wall of the house was just
behind him, and he edged painfully toward it, until he was able to sit up
and have some support for his back. Then with swimming eyes he looked
around him.

As his vision cleared, he saw that there were two men sitting in the
center of the room. They had not spoken a word, but had watched with a
sort of amused interest his gradual coming back to life. In one of them
he recognized the outlaw captain, and the other was the burly, red-haired
giant, whose trail he had followed the afternoon before. There was no
trace of the others and they had evidently gone to attend to the stock,
or on some errand connected with the operations of the band.

The leader's eyes fastened on Bert with a penetrating glare, as though he
sought to read the secrets of his soul. The captive met his look calmly
and defiantly, and for a moment there was a silent duel. But Bert's gaze
remained level, and the captain, a little disconcerted at his failure to
make his prisoner cringe, resorted to taunts.

"Feel kind o' wobbly, eh?" he jeered. "Got a bad little hangover from
last night? Perhaps we were a little playful, but it's just our hearty
way of welcomin' strangers. 'Specially when they come without an
invitation and we ketches them peepin' through the winders. But we don't
mean no harm, do we, Red?" and he leered at his companion, who grinned
dutifully in response to his leader's humor.

Bert made no answer.

"Now look here,