"Exactly; who was that friend?" "Mont Sterry, the gentleman who is on a little tour through some parts of Wyoming and Montana to try to help make you fellows behave yourselves." "Yes; wal, we're looking for him." "Why do you come here?" "Because he spends a good deal of his time here; he seems to be interested in Miss Whitney." "Well, if he is, that is no business of yours," retorted Fred, angered by the reference to his sister. "Perhaps not, but it would be well for you to keep a civil tongue in your head, Fred Whitney; we're not in a pleasant mood to-night, for we've had trouble." "It matters not to me what trouble you've had; you have no right to name any member of my family. They are in affliction; my father was shot down by your gang yesterday, and, though we made several of you fellows bite the dust, the whole of them weren't worth his little finger." "We'll let them matters drop; I told you we're looking for Mont Sterry, and we're going to have him." "And I ask you again, why do you come here after him? I don't deny that he was with me, but he left fully two hours ago." "We know that; he gave us the slip, but we believe he came back." "And I ask what reason you have for such belief; why did he bid us good-by and ride away? I know that he had not the slightest intention of returning for several days," said Fred, sticking to the technical truth. "We don't care what his intention was, he did come back." "How do you know that?" "He was sitting in that chair alongside of you less than ten minutes ago; you were smoking and talking, though you didn't speak loud enough for us to catch your words." "Where is the proof, Larch Cadmus, of what you say?" Without noticing this penetration of his disguise, the rustler turned and spoke to the nearest of his companions: "Spark Holly, how was it?" "I seen 'em both and heard 'em talking," was the prompt response of the individual appealed to. "Are your eyes better than the others'?" asked Fred. "They don't have to be," replied Cadmus, speaking for him. "While we stayed in front of the house, Spark stole round to the rear, where none of your family seen him. He got to the corner and had a good look at both of you." "Does he know Sterry?" inquired Fred, purposely raising his voice, that his friend, standing a few feet away within the house, should not miss a word. "He don't know him, but I do, and the description Spark gives fits the man we're after to a T. We want him." "But the notice you gave Sterry allowed him twenty-four hours' grace. Why do you ask for him now?" "Them was my sentiments, but when I joined the party under Inman, a little while ago, he told me the boys had reconsidered that matter, and decided that after what Sterry has done, and tried to do, I hadn't any right to make the promise." "That may be their decision, but it cannot affect yours; you are bound by the pledge you made in writing to him." Larch Cadmus, like his companions, was growing impatient. He said: