The driver shifted his whip and swept off his hat with a flourish. He gazed admiringly after the rider. "That, ma’am, is the French Rose; an’ this is certainly my lucky day. I ain’t seen two such pretty women before in one day, not in a dog’s age. I ain’t never seen ’em," he amended with enthusiastic conviction. The coach cut through the ford to the hiss of the swirling water and turned into the straight in time for them to see a man run out from the Sweet-Echo to meet Rose, standing with his hand on the bridle while Rose leaned forward in what looked suspiciously like a warm greeting. Another exclamation escaped the young lady on the stage: "Whitby!" and the blush called forth by the driver’s frank admiration paled as she watched the two whom they rapidly approached. "Know him, ma’am?" asked the driver politely; but his companion was oblivious to all but the scene before her. Rose’s imperious gesture and call had brought Whitby running. They had achieved a warm regard for each other during Rose’s numerous visits to the Double Y, made at Dave’s instigation; visits that had not ceased until the arrival ef Hopalong and Mary, when Dave had declared it was no use to try longer. Whitby grasped the significance of Rose’s hurried words in very brief time. "By Jove!" he exclaimed, thinking rapidly. "By Jove! he will do it, too. They can’t refuse to honor his check, you know. Buck is the only one can stop it. Lucky Pickles was gone and you came here instead of going to the Wayback bank. Buck has n’t long left me. I can catch him." He ran around to the shed at the rear and was going fast when he turned into the trail, astride his pony. His reassuring wave of the hand to Rose stopped in mid-air as he caught sight of Margaret McAllister, standing on the footboard of the coach and looking at him with an expression he did not in the least understand. He made as if to pull up, thought better of it, and sweeping off his hat, dug the spurs into his pony and shot out over the Big Moose trail at a speed that promised to get him somewhere very soon. * * * * *