e camp, taking Tad Butler with him. Tad was
proud to be thus singled out. While they were on their ride, some
twelve miles to the southward, the Ranger captain taught the northern
lad many things about trailing human beings. This was all new to Tad.
He listened with rapt attention, though he hoped it never might fall
to his lot to have to trail men for a livelihood. The captain also
told him many things about the bad men of the Texas border in the
old days. Captain McKay was a lad then, but he was out with his
father much of the time, the father also having been a Ranger, having
been killed in a battle with a desperado whom he had been sent to
capture. Captain McKay's two brothers had shared a similar fate.
Now there remained only Captain Billy.

"And I expect one of them will get me one of these days," he concluded
steadily.

"Why not stop then before they do get you?" questioned Tad.

"A fellow's got to die some time, hasn't he?"

"I suppose so."

"And he won't die till his time comes, will he?"

"I couldn't say as to that, sir. I guess we are not supposed to know
about those things here on earth."

"No, a fellow doesn't go till his time's come," answered the Ranger
with emphasis. "So what's the use in dodging? Why, if my time had
come and I had quit and gone to the city to live I'd most likely be run
over by a trolley car or something of that nature. I'd a sight rather
die in a gun fight with a real man than to get bucked over by a hunk
of wood and iron and lightning, called a trolley car. No, I'll take
my medicine, as I always have and---But let's go back."

"Still it is no worse than fighting the Germans," observed Tad. "I
have wondered why you have not enlisted and gone to France, you and
your men? What splendid fighters you would make."

"Every man of them wants to go---I want to go. I can hardly hold
myself down, Kid. Every one of us has offered his services, but the
government would not hear to it. Because of the activity of the
Kaiser's agents in Mexico and on the border, Uncle Sam decided that we
could best serve him right here on the border, and here we are,"
answered the Ranger thoughtfully.

"Have you found what you came out here for?" asked Butler.

"Surely I have," smiled the captain. "Haven't you?"

"I haven't found much of anything unless you mean that a couple of
horsemen crossed back there some few hours ago."

"How'd you know that?" exploded the captain.

"I saw th