"The last straw was his bringing that ridiculous charge against Buck Green," Mrs. Archer interrupted with unexpected spirit. "That stamped him for what he was; because a nicer, cleaner, better-mannered young man I've seldom seen. He could no more have stolen cattle than--than I could." A mental picture of her tiny, delicate, fragile-looking aunt engaged in that strenuous and illicit operation brought a momentary smile to Mary Thorne's lips. Then her face grew serious. "But you know I didn't believe it--really," she protested. "I offered to keep him on if he'd only assure me he wasn't here for any--any secret reason. But he wouldn't, and at the time there seemed nothing to do but let him go." "I suppose he might have had some other private reason than stealing cattle," commented Mrs. Archer. "He had," returned Mary, suppressing a momentary sense of annoyance that her aunt had shown the greater faith. "As nearly as I can make out, he was here to shadow Tex. As a matter of fact he really wanted to leave the ranch and work from a different direction, so it turned out all right in the end. He thinks it was Tex himself who secretly instigated the cattle-stealing." "The villain!" ejaculated Mrs. Archer energetically. "But where has--er--Buck been all this time? Where is he now?" The girl smiled faintly. "He was here a little while ago. He and Bud are both with the sheriff's posse. They believe the men are heading for the mountains and have gone after them." Mrs. Archer glanced sharply at her niece, noted a faint flush on the girl's face, and pursed her lips. "When are they coming back?" she asked, after a little pause. Mary shrugged her shoulders. "Not until they catch them, I suppose." "Which certainly won't be to-night. I'm rather surprised at Buck. It seems to me that he ought to have stayed here to look after things, instead of rushing off to chase outlaws." "It wasn't his fault," defended Mary quickly. "He thought Alf and Stella were here." "Alf and Stella! Good gracious, child! How could he, when they left four days ago?" "He didn't know that. He took it for granted they were still here, and I let him think so. They needed him to guide the posse, and I knew if I told him, he'd insist on staying behind. After all, dear, there's nothing for us to worry about. It'll be a bit lonesome to-night, but--" "Worry! I'm not worrying--about myself." Mrs. Archer regarded her niece with a curiously keen expression that seemed oddly incongruous in that delicate fragile-looking face. "I'm not blind," she went on quickly. "I've noticed what's been going on--the wretch! You're afraid of him, too, I can see, and no wonder. I wish somebody had stayed--Still, we must make the best of it. What are you going to do about the stock?" "Feed them," said Mary laconically, quelling a little shiver that went over her. "Let's go and do it now."