"Then you'll back me up." Sam Taber rifled a contemptuous look at Bates. "Put that popgun away. You've got no more case than a jackrabbit. I'll ask the questions around here." The crowd was silent and Cecil Bates stood alone and the humiliation was gall. He holstered his gun muttering, "You got no right to do this Sam. You got no right to make me look foolish." Taber probably did not hear the words. His eyes leveled over the crowd. "Seems to me the little girl's story bears looking into. But you fools have yourselves a picnic while this unknown man may be pointing all hell at you from out in the ridges." Bates snatched at the statement. "Say, Sam--you might have something there. That's what I was trying to get at in the first place--" Taber cut in. "Come on back to your place, Dan. I want to talk to you." * * * * * The crowd melted away as Sam Taber and his silent riders moved toward it. Sam Taber held the black in and rode beside Dan and Jane Parker as the cavalcade moved up the street. Sam said, "I understand Biddy rode off this morning." Dan Parker said, "That's right. We were waiting for her to come home so we could--" Dan shrugged. "Then that crazy crowd showed up." Jane's hand tightened on Dan's arm. "She's home! There's Buck in the corral. She's home, Dan!" And Jane was running on ahead.... "I won't tell you," Biddy said, firmly. She had now analyzed the little fear she'd felt upon awakening that morning. Now she knew the reason for it. With the inherent wisdom of childhood, she knew that the grownups would not understand Joe--would not realize how wonderful he was--better than Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, and--yes even than Davey Crockett all put together. They wouldn't understand that at all, and the way grownups were, something bad would happen and Joe would be hurt. "I won't tell you, where the cave is or anything more about it." * * * * * Dan's eyes mirrored annoyance and frustration. "Now listen here, Biddy--I don't want any more of this nonsense--" Jane put an arm around Biddy's shoulders and drew her close. "I think she's right," Jane said quietly. Dan flared in surprise. "Well of all the--"