wn spuds backed clean off the board, I
submit, not being in love myself----"

"What's that?" cried Kitty Wade from the door.

"Why, it's a shame!" said Clyde. "He must be starving. It's all Casey's
fault, too."

"Wouldn't he break away?" asked Wade. "I remember----?"

"Harrison!" cried Kitty, warningly.

"Well, then, do I eat?" he demanded.

"Yes. Anything to keep you quiet. I'll get your dinner myself."

Half an hour later Wade pushed back his chair with a sigh of
satisfaction, lit a cigar, and joined the others.

"I feel better," he announced. "A child could play with me in
comparative safety. Now let me tell you what else I discovered. In the
first place, Cross is dead. I was talking to Shiller. He says that Tom
wasn't to blame--corroborates his story, in fact, in every material
particular. So Tom's all right on that score. My advice to him would be
to come in and have his trial over."

"That isn't what's bothering him so much. It's these friends of
Cross's. I don't blame him. Some sheriffs are mighty weak-kneed about
such things."

"Well, I'm told that officers will be after him. Now as to your
brother, Miss McCrae: Glass and Pugh are starting out to find him as
soon as they get an outfit. Likely they've got started now."

"But they don't know where he is. That Glass--I should think he'd get
lost if he left a trail."

"Pugh is different. They may get another man or two."

"I hope they don't find him," said Sheila gravely.

"So do I," Wade concurred. "I don't suppose a prosecution would be
pushed now; but he resisted an officer, and anyway I wouldn't like to
see him under arrest."

"You don't understand. Sandy wouldn't submit quietly."

"You think he'd try to bluff them again?"

"He isn't a bluff," said Casey. "The kid is serious-minded. That's the
trouble. However, I've sent Tom word about Dade. Sandy may be with him;
and Tom is cool. When Simon comes in we'll know more, and send him out
again if he knows where the boy is."

Sheila declared that she must be going home. She refused Casey's offer
to drive her over. She wanted to take the edge off Beaver Boy. His
actions rankled in her mind. He needed a lesson, and she was going to
give him one. And she refused absolutely to allow Casey to ride with
her.

He had her horse saddled, and was giving a final pull at the latigos
when she came out in her riding clothes.

"Cinch him up tight," she commanded. "Take a good pull at it; he's
getting too