le.

"They'll be here very quickly," she almost sang.

"You forget the clearness of the air," I said, and then asked the
sheriff how far away the dust-cloud was.

"Yer mean that cattle-drive?" he asked. "'Bout ten miles."

"You seem to think of everything," exclaimed Miss Cullen, as if my
knowing that distances are deceptive in Arizona was wonderful. I
sometimes think one gets the most praise in this world for what least
deserves it.

I waited half an hour to be safe, and then released No. 3, just as we
were called to luncheon; and this time I didn't refuse the invitation
to eat mine in 218.

We didn't hurry over the meal, and toward the end I took to looking at
my watch, wondering what could keep the cavalry from arriving.

"I hope there is no danger of the train arriving first, is there?"
asked Madge.

"Not the slightest," I assured her. "The train won't be here for an
hour, and the cavalry had only five miles to cover forty minutes ago.
I must say, they seem to be taking their time."

"There they are now!" cried Albert.

Listening, we heard the clatter of horses' feet, going at a good pace,
and we all rose and went to the windows, to see the arrival. Our
feelings can be judged when across the tracks came only a mob of
thirty or forty cowboys, riding in their usual "show-off" style.

"The deuce!" I couldn't help exclaiming, in my surprise. "Are you sure
you saw a flag, Miss Cullen?"

"Why--I--thought--" she faltered. "I saw something red, and--I
supposed of course--"

Not waiting to let her finish, I exclaimed, "There's been a fluke
somewhere, I'm afraid; but we are still in good shape, for the train
can't possibly be here under an hour. I'll get my field-glasses and
have another look before I decide what--"

My speech was interrupted by the entrance of the sheriff and Mr. Camp!

CHAPTER XI

THE LETTERS CHANGE HANDS AGAIN

What seemed at the moment an incomprehensible puzzle had, as we
afterward learned, a very simple explanation. One of the G.S.
directors, Mr. Baldwin, who had come in on Mr. Camp's car, was the
owner of a great cattle-ranch near Rock Butte. When the train had been
held at that station for a few minutes, Camp went to the conductor,
demanded the cause for the delay, and was shown my telegram. Seeing
through the device, the party had at once gone to this ranch, where
the owner, Baldwin, mounted them, and it was their dust-cloud we
had seen as they rode up to Ash Fork. To m