"Yes; John Ford," retorted the ranchman in a voice that cut like steel. "You remember when you won your lawsuit with that will you forged? I told you I should trap you some day. _That day has come!_" At these words, the others stepped forth. From one to another, Dardus looked, then demanded in a terrified voice: "What--what do you want?" "We want justice for Bob Chester," said Mr. Perkins. "We want you to give him every cent you have in bank except the five hundred dollars you had when Horace Chester died. We want you to sign this paper admitting that you forged the will bequeathing you the ranch in Red Top. We want you to acknowledge you lied when you told Bob his father was insane." "And if I refuse?" "You go to jail, and we take the money and ranch." "But I have no money," whimpered Dardus. "Lying won't help you. We know every cent you have in bank and where it is. Here's the confession, sign it first." Glancing from one to another, the storekeeper seemed to seek an avenue of escape. "Officers, if this man does not sign this paper within two minutes, arrest him," exclaimed Mr. Perkins. Quickly the detectives moved one to either side of Len Dardus. "All right, I'll sign," he moaned, sinking into a chair. And, after reading the words admitting his guilt, he affixed his name. "Now, tell Bob you lied to him about his father." "Horace--Chester--was--not--insane." "Good, I am glad you are reasonable. Now, come with us in our automobile and withdraw the money you have in the banks." Realizing resistance was vain, Dardus obeyed. At each bank the boy's benefactors compared their private notes with the amounts the storekeeper withdrew, and, when the task was ended, Bob had fifty thousand dollars in addition to the ranch. As they emerged from the last bank, however, they did not take the storekeeper into their car, but left him standing on the steps, the picture of woe. "Now, we'll have a good dinner," announced Mr. Nichols. During the meal the men who had been so kind to Bob asked him what he intended to do. "Go back to the ranch and live with John Ford," was the boy's ready reply. "Yes. We're going into partnership," added the grizzled plainsman. "And whenever you want a rest or some hunting, there'll be two ranches at your disposal," chimed in Bob, to the railroad magnates. Before the boy returned to the West, he gave a hundred-dollar bill to Nellie Porter, the waitress who had befriended him, and he also found Knuckles, who was overjoyed to resume his position as foreman of the Chester ranch. The firm of Ford & Chester prospered. Many times did Mr. Perkins and Mr. Nichols, as well as Jack Foster, the reporter, visit the partners, continuing to exercise a kindly interest in their welfare, and especially the welfare of Bob Chester. * * * * * Transcriber's Notes: Punctuation normalized. Varied capitalization on "the limited/the Limited" retained.