As the boys swarmed down the hill to where Ted and the girls were standing apart from the soldiers, who stood staring at them in amazement, they let out the Moon Valley yell, and acted as though they were a victorious army taking possession of a conquered city. Lieutenant Barrows stood in the doorway in open-mouthed amazement at the change of scene, in which he and his men were not the captors, but the captured. He started to bluster by ordering Hallie to get ready to accompany him back to her father. "I shall not go," she said positively. "I don't believe that my father sent for me." "I know he didn't," said Ted firmly. "What do you know about it?" asked Barrows, with a sneer. "I know that it was your intention to kidnap Miss Croffut and take her to the coast, where you would board a yacht and carry her out of the country." "That's a----" began Barrows. "Don't let the word lie pass your lips as applied to me, or I'll jam it down your throat," said Ted, advancing toward the officer, who turned pale and retreated. "You shouldn't tell your intentions to such irresponsible persons as the Woofer, here. He told all about it early this morning so loud that the whole of Montana might have heard it if they had been awake. I heard it, and if Woofer denies saying that you did say so, then he's a liar, and I'm personally responsible for everything I say." "I did say so, and I heard the lieutenant say so," said Woofer defiantly. "Another thing, I have in my pocketbook scraps of a letter written by you in which you say you have sent Paris green out to poison our cattle, and you did succeed in a way, but not as you wished. Barrows, your game is played. You are at the end. I shall see that the proper authorities get all the details of this, and you know what will happen then. You will be chased out of the army like a mad dog, and all the influence you can bring to bear will not serve you." Barrows was looking at Ted with terror in his eyes. "My advice to you is to skip before the army gets on to you," continued Ted. "Disappear. Obliterate yourself. It will be easier for you to be thought a deserter than what will be thought of you if what we know about you goes back to the post." Barrows stepped back into the cabin, and Ted walked to where he could keep his eye on the soldier. Suddenly he jumped into the cabin and wrenched a pistol out of Barrows' hand. "No, you don't," he cried angrily. "You can't pay for this by self-murder. You've got to live to pay for your meanness." Barrows submitted to be disarmed by Ted. He stood looking for a moment at Hallie, and for a moment it seemed as if he would speak to her. Then, with a cry of agony, he rushed across the open, leaped upon his horse, and, plunging into the grove, was lost to sight.