MASON OF BAR X RANCH By HENRY BENNETT A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers—New York Published by arrangement with Richard G. Badger Copyright, 1920, by H. Bennett All Rights Reserved Made in the United States of America TO MY BROTHER IN MEMORY OF A VACATION SPENT IN THE ADIRONDACKS CONTENTS I. A Hard Proposition II. The Girl III. Mason Meets the Sheriff IV. A New Arrival V. The Abduction of Josephine VI. Josephine’s Peril VII. The Rescue VIII. The Mexican Escapes IX. Mysterious MacNutt X. Welcome Visitors XI. Ricker’s Warning XII. The Raid XIII. The Counterfeiters XIV. The Fight in the Secret Passage XV. The Dance at the Gaylor Ranch XVI. The Shot in the Night XVII. Trent Burton Wires Alarming News XVIII. The Lost Airplane XIX. The Round-Up XX. Silver Skies MASON OF BAR X RANCH CHAPTER I A HARD PROPOSITION Jack Mason, a young man of twenty-one years, was intently watching a billiard game in progress at a fashionable club in New York City. It was a hot sultry day in June and he was wondering how people could enjoy knocking a bunch of balls around a table and getting all heated up. He had about decided to take a run in his motor when a messenger boy handed him a message. It was from his father bidding him to come at once to his office. His father was president of a bank in New York and independently rich. Mason thrust the message in his pocket, musing as he did so. “I’m in for a call from Dad, he’s probably read about the scrape the bunch and I got into last week.” Calling one of the club members aside he demanded: “Say, Smithy, how did the story of my automobile accident leak out in the papers?” “Don’t know, Jack,” his friend replied; “you know as much about that as I do.” “Thought I had that automobile affair hushed up,” grumbled Mason. “What gets me,” he continued, “is how my part in the club boxing match got in the papers. I just received a message from the old man and expect he has heard all about it.” “This won’t be the first time you have been bawled out by the old man,” replied Smithy with a broad grin. “No, but I expect something serious this time,” declared Mason gravely. “Damn those meddlesome reporters!” he burst out savagely. “You know, Smithy, I have been in worse scrapes before, but always managed to patch them up some way. Now, this story gets in the papers, and that prize fight—well, I suppose the quicker I get this matter settled with Dad, the sooner I will know my fate.” He finished, starting for his car. “Wish you luck, old man,” called Smithy as Mason started his motor, “give my best regards to your father.” This his parting shot, but Mason was out of hearing and speeding to his father’s office in his favorite racing car.