or two.

"Well, I'll be hanged!" he exclaimed; "is that you, Mont?"

"I have a suspicion that it is," was the reply of Sterry, laughing
quite heartily as he lowered his hands.

"Who is your friend?" he asked, moving around to gain a better view of
the rustler.

"Ah, that's the man we're looking for," added Hendricks a moment
later; "he's Duke Vesey, the partner of the late Jack Perkins."

"You are right," Sterry hastened to say, "but he is under the
protection of a flag of truce."

"A flag of truce!" repeated the other; "where is it?"

"I gave him my pledge to shield him against you folks, as he agreed to
do if your party had proven to be his friends."

"Well, that's a queer state of affairs," laughed the other, not
forgetting to keep guard of the prisoner, who was permitted to lower
his hands. The other stockmen were equally alert, now that there was
but one man to watch, so that Vesey was really as helpless as though
deprived of all his weapons.

"I do not see what is so queer about it," replied Sterry, warmly; "we
heard you coming and moved off out of sight. Before doing so Vesey
pledged himself to stand by me against any of his friends, if it
became necessary, and I promised to do the same for him. The issue
shows that it is my privilege to keep my promise--that's all."

It was plain that Hendricks felt himself in a quandary. He had been
sent out to capture the two men under the supposition that they were
rustlers. It was proved that one of them was the very individual whom
Capt. Asbury was anxious to secure. To release him after taking him
prisoner would place his captor in anything but a pleasant situation
with his leader.

Suspecting his dilemma, Sterry said:

"You can readily arrange it by taking me in as prisoner and allowing
Vesey to go."

"That is all well enough, but it will put me in a hole that I don't
intend to be put in. Capt. Asbury is the boss of this business; you
two can ride up to him and make your report; that will place the
responsibility where it belongs."

This seemed reasonable, but Sterry felt uneasy. He knew the violent
temper of Capt. Asbury, and feared he would refuse to acknowledge
the agreement as binding upon him. On the other hand, Sterry was
determined to stand by his pledge to the last.

"I can't consent to that," he said.

"You've got to," replied Hendricks; "it is idle to suppose that any
such bargain as you may choose to make can be binding on others who
were