ed and lives in danger? And why had
the outrages suddenly ceased when Shields took charge of the defense of
the ranch?--there had been no molestation, not a shot had been fired,
not a cow killed. And how was it that a flower pot, which Shields had
admitted as belonging to his wife, had been placed at a point hardly two
hundred yards in front of the peace officer as he lay on guard? It was
true that it was out of line of him and the lights, but that could be
explained by events. From whom did The Orphan learn of the trap set for
him, and all of its details, even to the placing of the men, enabling him
to avoid the eager deputies and choose the position occupied by the
sheriff when he had so recklessly flaunted his contempt from a pile
of sand?

The cowboys were naturally enough warped and prejudiced because of
their blind rage and hatred, and the questions which ran so riotously
through their minds found their answers waiting for them; in fact, the
answers induced the questions, and each recurrence gave them added
weight until they ceased to be questions and became, in reality,
statements of facts. Bill had talked too much when he had told in
careful detail of the attentions shown The Orphan by the sheriff's
sister; and to minds eager for confirmation of their suspicions this was
the crowning proof of the double dealing of the sheriff. And to make
matters worse, Tex Williard, who was as unscrupulous a man as ever wore
the garb of honesty, had tried to force his attentions on Helen when
she rode for exercise. His ideas of women had been developed among
those who frequented frontier bar-rooms, and he was enraged at his
rebuff, which had been sharp and final. She actually preferred a murdering
outlaw to a hardworking cowboy! His profane oratory as to the collusion,
or at least passive sympathy between the sheriff and the outlaw found
eager ears and receptive minds awaiting the torch of initiative, and it
was not long before low-voiced consultations began to plan a drastic
course of action. Credit must be given to Sneed, because he knew only of
the natural discontent and nothing of what was in the wind. Had he
known what was brewing he would have stamped it out with no uncertain
force, for he was wise enough to realize the folly of increasing the
antagonism which already was held by Ford's Station for his ranch.

At first the conspirators had hopes of undermining Shields among the
citizens of the town, not knowing the feeli