“Bring water, Dick, and tell Doc Lee to come at once. He'll be in the back room smoking. Hurry!” She looked fiercely round upon the men assembled. “I think they have killed him. Who did this? Was it you, Yorky? Was it you that murdered him?” “I bane t'ink it take von hoondred of them to do it,” said Siegfried. “Dat fallar, Johnson, he bane at the bottom of it.” “Then why didn't you kill him? Aren't you Steve's friend? Didn't he save your life?” she panted, passion burning in her beautiful eyes. Siegfried nodded. “I bane Steve's friend, yah! And Ay bane kill Johnson eef Steve dies.” Briscoe, furious at this turn of the tide which had swept Arlie's sympathies back to his enemy, followed Struve as he sneaked deeper into the shadow of the trees. The convict was nursing a sprained wrist when Jed reached him. “What do you think you've been trying to do, you sap-headed idiot?” Jed demanded. “Haven't you sense enough to choose a better time than one when the whole settlement is gathered to help him? And can't you ever make a clean job of it, you chuckle-minded son of a greaser?” Struve turned, snarling, on him. “That'll be enough from you, Briscoe. I've stood about all I'm going to stand just now.” “You'll stand for whatever I say,” retorted Jed. “You've cooked your goose in this valley by to-night's fool play. I'm the only man that can pull you through. Bite on that fact, Mr. Struve, before you unload your bile on me.” The convict's heart sank. He felt it to be the truth. The last thing he had heard was Siegfried's threat to kill him. Whether Fraser lived or died he was in a precarious position and he knew it. “I know you're my friend, Jed,” he whined. “I'll do what you say. Stand by me and I'll sure work with you.” “Then if you take my advice you'll sneak down to the corral, get your horse, and light out for the run. Lie there till I see you.” “And Siegfried?” “The Swede won't trouble you unless this Texan dies. I'll send you word in time if he does.” Later a skulking shadow sneaked into the corral and out again. Once out of hearing, it leaped to the back of the horse and galloped wildly into the night. CHAPTER XIV -- HOWARD EXPLAINS Two horsemen rode into Millikan's Draw and drew up in front of the big ranch house. To the girl who stepped to the porch to meet them they gave friendly greeting. One of them asked: “How're things coming, Arlie?” “Better and better every day, Dick. Yesterday the doctor said he was out of danger.” “It's been a tough fight for Steve,” the other broke in. “Proper nursing is what pulled him through. Doc says so.” “Did he say that, Alec? I'll always think it was doc. He fought for that life mighty hard, boys.” Alec Howard nodded: “Doc Lee's the stuff. Here he comes now, talking of angels.” Doctor Lee dismounted and grinned. “Which of you lads is she making love to now?” Arlie laughed. “He can't understand that I don't make love to anybody but him,” she explained to the younger men.