ical retort of the man on the
bed.

"Not quite. I've got another reason for wanting to know."

"Then you better ask Cullison. The law says that if a man _sells_ a
relinquishment he can't file on another claim. If he surrenders it for
nothing he can. Now Luck may have notions of filing on another claim. You
can see that we'll have to take it for granted he gave me the claim."

It was so neat an answer and at the same time so complete a one that
O'Connor could not help appreciating it. He smiled and tried again.

"We'll put that question in the discard. That paper was signed by Luck
to-day. Where was he when you got it from him?"

"Sure it was signed to-day? Couldn't it have been ante-dated?"

"You know better than I do. When was it signed?"

Fendrick laughed. He was watching the noted officer of rangers with
narrowed wary eyes. "On advice of counsel I decline to answer."

"Sorry, Cass. That leaves me only one thing to do. You're under arrest."

"For what?" demanded the sheepman sharply.

"For abducting Luck Cullison and holding him prisoner without his
consent."

Lazily Cass drawled a question. "Are you right sure Cullison can't be
found?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you right sure he ain't at home attending to his business?"

"Has he come back?"

"Maybe so. I'm not Luck Cullison's keeper."

Bucky thought he understood. In return for the relinquishment Cullison had
been released. Knowing Luck as he did, it was hard for him to see how
pressure enough had been brought to bear to move him.

"May I use your 'phone?" he asked.

"Help yourself."

Fendrick pretended to have lost interest. He returned to his newspaper,
but his ears were alert to catch what went on over the wires. It was
always possible that Cullison might play him false and break the
agreement. Cass did not expect this, for the owner of the Circle C was a
man whose word was better than most men's bond. But the agreement had been
forced upon him through a trick. How far he might feel this justified him
in ignoring it the sheepman did not know.

O'Connor got the Circle C on long distance. It was the clear contralto of
a woman that answered his "Hello!"

"Is this Miss Cullison?" he asked. Almost at once he added: "O'Connor of
the rangers is speaking. I've heard your father is home again. Is that
true?"

An interval followed during which the ranger officer was put into the role
of a listener. His occasional "Yes----Yes----Yes" punctuated t