to be in among those horses?"

"I figured you'd got mixed up in it at Samuelson's, somehow. The boys
didn't know nothin' about it--except Pierce--an' he guessed wrong."

Patty laughed. "He accused me of being one of the gang, and even
threatened to lock me in his cellar."

"He won't again," announced the man, dryly.

"I rode down there to get him to go for the doctor. Mr. Samuelson was
worse, and there was no one else to go. And when I started on for
town, the horses swept down on me and carried me along with them."

"Was the doctor got?" asked Holland with sudden interest.

"Yes, I rode on down to Thompson's, and Mr. Thompson sent a man to
town. He was provoked with you for not letting him in on the raid."

"He'll get over it. You see, I didn't want to call out the married
men. I surmised there'd be gun-play an' there wasn't any use takin'
chances with men that was needed, when there's plenty of us around the
hills that it don't make any difference to anyone if we come back or
not. I didn't figure on lettin' Pierce in."

When they had finished washing the dishes the girl glanced toward the
buckskin that was snipping grass in the clearing: "It's time we were
going. The doctor may start for town this morning and we'll meet him
on the trail."

"This ain't a doctor's job," protested the man. "My arm feels fine."

"It's so stiff you can hardly use it. It must feel fine. But it
doesn't make a particle of difference how fine it feels. It needs
attention. And, surely you won't refuse to do this for me, after I
bandaged it all up? Because, if anything should go wrong it would be
my fault."

Without a word the man picked up his bridle and walking to the
buckskin, slipped it over his head and led him in. He saddled the
horse with one hand, and as he turned toward the girl she held out the
glove.

"Isn't this yours? I found it last evening--out in the hills."

Holland thrust his hand into it: "Yes, it's mine. I'm sure obliged to
you. I lost it a couple of days ago. I hate to break in new gloves.
These have got a feel to 'em."

"Do you know where I found it?"

"No. Couldn't guess within twenty miles or so."

Patty looked him squarely in the eyes: "I found it over where Monk
Bethune has just staked a claim. And he staked that particular claim
because it was the spot I had indicated on a map that I prepared
especially for the benefit of the man who has been searching my cabin
all summer."

Holland nodded gravel