"If we could only wake up Fort Creek County--but them fellahs, most of 'em, are for the 88, an' them that ain't have to take it out in thinkin' a lot. Now if we could cinch this hoss-stealin' on the 88 it would help a lot down in Fort Creek County. The honest folks down there would have somethin' to go on, an' they'd paint for war immediate, an' with the boys from up here it would be a cinch. We'd go over the 88 outfit like a landslide. An' here I am throwed an' hog-tied. Say----" Loudon's mouth opened wide. His eyes shone. In his excitement he raised himself on his elbow--"I got it! I got it!" "What?" Kate leaned toward him, lips parted. "It ain't possible that dance was just luck," said Loudon, rapidly. "It couldn't just 'a' happened all hunky-dory so that fellah from Hatchet Creek would find all the boys in town. Not by a jugful it couldn't! It was set for that night a-purpose. Now who started the ball a-rollin' for that dance?" He gazed triumphantly at Kate. Her eyes sparkled. "I'll try and find out for you," she said. "Howdy, folks?" It was Pete O'Leary who spoke, and he was standing beside the kitchen table looking in on them. Loudon's mouth tightened. How much of their conversation had O'Leary heard? "Good afternoon, Mr. O'Leary," said Kate, rising and advancing to the doorway. "Looking for Dorothy, aren't you? Oh, I know you are. You'll find her down at Mrs. Mace's.... Yes, it's a beautiful day, beautiful. Good afternoon, Mr. O'Leary, good afternoon." In the face of this Pete O'Leary departed. Kate went into the kitchen. In a few minutes she returned, laughing. "He didn't go into Lil's," she said. "He went on toward Main Street. I watched him. He's a nervy individual. Dorothy doesn't like him, and I don't, either." "I wonder if he did come to see Dorothy, or----" "He came to see me." "You!" Loudon's surprise was patent. "Yes, isn't it charming? Turned him out in quick fashion, didn't I? The pest! Dorothy said he clung to her like glue till I came. He's deserted her for me ever since the dance. She baked me a cake. Said it was a reward. She'd never been able to get rid of him. But I'm afraid Dorothy's too tender-hearted. I don't mind being rude. Why, what's the matter?" "I was just a-wonderin' how much that fellah heard?" "Oh, nothing," said Kate, carelessly. "We weren't talking loudly, were we? Does it make any difference?" "It shore does. O'Leary's in with the 88, or I'm a Dutchman." "He is!" "Shore," Loudon nodded. "I got proof o' that, anyhow." "Heavens! If he heard what we were saying he'll warn Blakely and the rest. And we can't stop him! We can't stop him!" "Not yet we can't. I can't, special." Kate stared steadily at Loudon. "Tom," said she, after a silence, "if Pete O'Leary is Blakely's friend then Pete O'Leary got up that dance."