"All right," returned Captain Rugley. "Help me with this coat, San. Ming! Bring me my belt and gun. Yes, that's it. It's loaded. Plenty of cartridges in that box? So. Now I'm off," concluded the Captain, and went to the door again to meet Silent Sam Harding, the foreman. "Read this," jerked out the ranchman, and thrust the crumpled letter into Sam Harding's hand. Without a word the foreman spread open the paper and studied it. In perfectly plain handwriting he read the following astonishing epistle: "Captain Dan Rugley, "Bar-T Ranch. "We've got your girl. She will be held prisoner exactly twenty-four hours from time you receive this. Then, if you have not made arrangements to pay our agent $5,000 (five thousand dolls.), something will happen to your girl. We are willing to put our necks in a noose for the five thousand. Come across, and come across quick. No check. Cash does it. You can get cash at branch bank in Jackleg. We will know when you get cash and then you'll be told who to hand money to and how to find your girl. Remember, we mean business. You try to trail us, or rescue your daughter without paying five thousand and we'll get square with you by fixing the girl. That's all at present." This threatening missive was unsigned. Silent Sam read it twice. Then he handed it back to the Captain. "Does it look like a joke to you--a poor sort of a joke?" whispered the ranchman. "I wouldn't say so," muttered Sam. "I'm going after them," said Captain Rugley, with determination. "How?" "Somebody handed Vic this on the trail. He'll show us where. We'll try to pick up the man's traces. Of course it was one of the scoundrels handed the letter to Vic." "Who do ye think they are?" asked Sam, slowly. "I don't know," said the worried ranchman. "But whoever they are they shall suffer if they harm a hair of her head!" "That's what," said Sam, quietly. "But ain't you an idee who they be?" "That fellow who took the old trunk away from Frances?" "Might be. And he must have partners." "So I've said right along," declared the ranchman, vigorously. "Where did you leave Frances, Sam?" "After the jack hunt? Right thar with Miz' Edwards and her crowd." "Was young Pratt Sanderson with them?" "Sure." "That's it!" growled Captain Dan Rugley, smiting one palm with his other fist. "She'd ride off with him. Thinks him all right----" "Ye don't mean to say ye think he's in this mean mess?" "I don't know. He's turned up whenever we've had trouble lately. If it wasn't so far to Bill Edwards' I'd ride that way and find out if the fellow is there, or what they know about him." Silent Sam earned his nickname, if ever, during the next hour. He did not say ten words; but his efficient management got a posse of the most trustworthy men together, and they rode away from the ranch-house.