The words were punctuated by a continuous rattle, and ended abruptly with the clatter of metal against metal. "Hell!" rasped Buck, in a hoarse, furious voice with an undercurrent of keen apprehension that made Bud's nerves tingle. "The wire's been cut!" An instant later he appeared, running. Snatching the reins, he gained the saddle in a single bound, jerked his horse around, and was off across the pasture. "Come on!" he shouted back over one shoulder. "There's trouble at the ranch." Bud dug spurs into his cayuse and followed, but it was some minutes before he managed to catch up with his friend. "What is it?" he cried anxiously. "What's wrong? Have the Mannings--" "They've gone, as I thought," snapped Stratton. "The two women are alone. But that isn't the worst." A sudden spasm of uncontrolled fury rose in his throat and choked him momentarily. "There's some one hidden in the loft over the harness-room," he managed to finish hoarsely. Bud stared at him in dismay. "Who the devil--" "I don't know. She just got a glimpse of a--a face in the window while she was closing up the kitchen." "Do you suppose it's--Tex?" "I don't know," retorted Buck through his clenched teeth. "What difference does it make, anyhow? Some one hid there for a--a purpose. By God! What fools we were not to make a search!" "It seemed so darn sure they'd all beat it," faltered Bud. "Besides, I don't guess any of us would of thought to look in that loft." "Maybe not. It doesn't matter. We didn't." Stratton's voice was brittle. "But if anything happens--" "Have they locked up the whole house?" Jessup asked as Stratton paused. "Yes, but what good'll that do with two able-bodied men set on getting in? There isn't a door or shutter that wouldn't--" "Two!" gasped Bud. "You didn't say--" "Didn't I? It was just at the end. She was telling me about seeing the face and locking up the house. Then all at once she broke off." Buck's tone was calmer now, but it was the hard-won calm of determined will, and every now and then there quivered through it a faint, momentary note that told eloquently of the mingled dread and fury that were tearing his nerves to pieces. "I asked what was the matter and she said to wait a minute. It seemed like she stopped to listen for something. Then all of a sudden she cried out that some one was riding up." "It--it might not have been any of the gang," murmured Bud, voicing a hope he did not feel. "Who else would be likely to come at this time of night?" demanded Stratton. "Lynch is on the outs with everybody around Perilla. They don't go near the ranch unless they have to. It couldn't have been one of Hardenberg's men; he's not expecting any one." "Did--did she say anything else?" asked Jessup, after a brief pause. Buck hesitated. "Only that she--was afraid, and wanted us to--come quickly. Then the wire went dead as if it had been cut."