led his horse and watched the horsemen as they traveled
eastward, making good time. He called to a man, named Colver, who was
riding close to him.

"Them's Deveny's men--from the Cache. What in blazes are they up to?
Somethin's in the wind, Colver--they're ridin' like the devil was after
them an' burnin' the breeze for fair!"

Rogers sent his horse scampering to the crest of one of the hills where,
concealed behind some brush, he watched the progress of Deveny's men
eastward.

When they passed the point on the plain where they would have to veer
northward if they intended to visit the Star, he breathed with relief.
For he had almost yielded to a conviction that Deveny _was_ headed for
the Star.

But after the horsemen passed the point that led to the Star trail, a new
anxiety seized Rogers--and a passion that sent the blood to his face
swept over him.

His eyes were glowing with an excitement that he could not repress when
he turned to Colver.

"Somethin's up!" he snapped. "Deveny's been sullen as hell for a good
many days--ever since Harlan came to the Star. One of the boys was
tellin' me he heard Deveny an' Haydon havin' it out over at the Cache. If
there's goin' to be a ruckus I'm goin' to be in on it!"

He leaped his horse off the hill, racing him down into the grass plain
after the other men. When he reached them he yelled sharply, and they
spurred quickly to him, anticipating from his manner that danger
threatened.

"I've got a hunch that hell's a-goin' to pop right sudden, boys," he told
them. "An' we're goin' away from it. If there's any trouble we want to be
in on it. Deveny's up to somethin'. You-all know about the agreement made
between Haydon an' Harlan--that Harlan was to run the Rancho Seco without
interference. Deveny's headed that way, an' Haydon ain't around. It's up
to us boys to keep our eyes open.

"Harlan's at the Star. He won't be knowin' that Deveny is headin' for the
Rancho Seco. Harlan's white, boys; he's done more for us guys since he's
been at the Star than Haydon or Deveny ever done for us. He's promised us
things that Haydon an' Deveny would never do. He's a white man, an' I'm
for him. An' I'm for takin' orders from him from now on. Who's with me?"

"You're shoutin'!" declared Colver.

"It's time for a new deal," muttered another.

"You're doin' the yappin'," grimly announced a big man who was close to
Rogers; "we're followin' your lead."

"I'm jumpin' for the Star then!" de