avagely upon him: "That'll do for you."

Echo walked hastily to Sage-brush's side. She felt her presence might
help to avoid the outbreak which she saw could not long be avoided.

Peruna had lost control of tongue and discretion by this time.

"You'll never see him back in this section again. You all know where
he is--across the line in Mexico--why, she's fixin' to make a clean-up
now, an' sell out and join him!"

Sage-brush reached for his gun, but Echo restrained him.

"You--" he cried.

Buck turned angrily on Peruna. "You keep your mouth shet," he shouted.

Peruna subsided at his boss' command, mumbling: "There ain't no female
can pull the forelock over my eyes."

"Take care," warningly called Buck.

Peruna fired up again, regardless of consequences. "Why, I see through
her game. She's glad to get rid of him, so's she can play up to her
ranch boss, Handsome Charley there."

Buck had to act instantly to preserve his supremacy over his men.

Before any of the Sweetwater outfit could reach Peruna's side, or pull
a gun to resent the insult, Buck was on top of him. With a blow full
in the mouth, he knocked him sprawling. Echo had seized Sage-brush's
hand, preventing him from firing. The other men moved as if to kick
Peruna as he lay prostrate.

"Let him alone. He's goin' to ask the lady's pardon," snarled Buck,
covering him with his gun.

Peruna raised himself on one arm.

"No, I'll be--" he began.

Buck bent over him, speaking in a low tone, tensely and quickly.
"Quick! I don't want to have to kill you. You damn' fool, don't you
see what I'm playin' fer?"

"He ain't fit to live!" shouted Show Low.

Buck turned on the cowboy. It was his fight, and he was going to
handle it in his own fashion.

"Lem me handle this case," he interrupted. "Ther' ain't no man can
travel in my outfit and insult a woman--you ask her pardon--right
smart."

Peruna struggled to his feet. Buck commanded:

"On your knees."

A glance at Buck showed Peruna how deadly in earnest he was.
Reluctantly he sank to his knees.

"I didn't mean what I said. I hope you will excuse me--" he whined.

"That's enough. Now git up. Pull your freight," Buck ordered.

"By God, no!" interposed Sage-brush.

The cowboys seized Peruna.

Buck saw that his bluff at bossing the situation was called. He turned
appealingly to Echo, and rapidly fabricated a moving tale about
Peruna's heroic rescue of himself from drowning in th