He had accomplished little more than half the distance when he perceived a horseman coming towards him. They approached one another with some caution. Stranleigh would have passed in silence had not the other accosted him. "Hello, stranger!" he said. "You from the ranch?" "Yes." "Been stopping there?" "Yes." "How's everything? Folks all well?" "Yes; they were when I left. Is there any chance that you are Mr. Armstrong?" "That's my name." "I'm very glad to meet you, sir. I'm Stranleigh, who telegraphed the detective to find you and hand you two hundred dollars, begging you to get home in a hurry." "Well, Mr. Stranleigh, all that was done, and here I am, but as for paying back that two hundred dollars and expenses, I don't see how I am to do it. I'm broke." "So I understand. Do you know your place is to be disposed of by forced sale day after to-morrow?" "Yes; they've got me with my hands up." "I don't think so. I'm going to attend that sale, and probably our friend Ricketts will regret the fact. Now, you turn your horse round and accompany me to the settlement. I've got some money coming by express, and being rather a stupid sort of person, it never occurred to me until half an hour ago that I'd need to be identified before I got my hands on that express package. So if you'll take my word that I am Stranleigh, we'll collar the currency and attend the sale. I have a letter of introduction to you from Mr. Banks, of New York, but I left it at your house." "That's all right. I'll go surety that you're the man. I'd like mighty well to see a little money, even if it belongs to another fellow." Armstrong turned his horse, who was not loth to set his face in the other direction, because he belonged to White's Tavern. As the two men jogged along together, Stranleigh explained the situation. Armstrong was silent for some time, evidently in a state of dejection. "Well, Mr. Stranleigh," he said at last, "as you know, I am quite helpless. I haven't a cent to bless myself nor curse an enemy with. I'm no good as a business man, and the slick way in which those rascals in Chicago separated me from what cash I had would make you laugh at me if you knew how it was done." "I shouldn't be inclined to laugh. We read in Scripture of the man who fell among thieves, and I imagine Chicago is a good place to find such cattle, although I believe there are a few of them further west. I think that Ricketts, in refusing the money when it was offered to him, exceeded his legal rights." "Our sharpers out here," said Armstrong, "are always exceeding their legal rights, but they get rich all the same. I confess I haven't so much dependence on legality as a law-abiding citizen should have." "Your men on the ranch seem to hold the same opinion. In spite of all I could say, they were determined to make a raid on Bleachers." "Did you manage to stop them?" enquired Armstrong eagerly. "I think I did," was the reply.