Hurriedly, for him, Sims related the story of the ill-fated expedition up to the time of the stampede. He and the herders had put up what defense they could, he said, and, as a result, two of his men were dead and the others scattered. However, he expected they would return to the now deserted camp. "I want you to take them back south to the Badwater River," ordered Larkin. "The second flock ought to be there by this time, but I want you to hold them there. In two days the boys from Montana ought to be down, and when you're ready to start north you will have force enough to fight any bunch of cowboys old Bissell can scrape together." "But if we don't move that flock out right away the others will come and pile up there, and then we shore will have our hands full." "All right, let 'em pile up. We'll get 'em through just the same. Now, Sims, we are in this thing for blood from now on, and don't you forget it for a minute." "Trust me, boss," drawled the herder. "Are you comin' down to join us?" "Yes, if I can. As soon as I get Miss Bissell into safe hands I'll come. But don't count on me; I may never get there. Do whatever you think best, but bring those sheep through. And tell the herders and the boys from the north that while this trouble is on I'll pay them five dollars a day apiece." "Shore, they'd rassle the devil himself for that," commented Sims. "And you get ten," supplemented Larkin. "Now go ahead and make all preparations the way you think best. Everything is in your hands." Sims faded from sight noiselessly, and Larkin hurried forward to overtake Juliet. They had not been together five minutes when the rapid trotting of horses was heard ahead and Larkin, taking the chance of falling into evil hands, called out to the travelers. "Who's there?" came a gruff voice, accompanied by the click of hammers drawn back. "Oh, father, it's I--Juliet!" cried the girl, recognizing the speaker and running toward him. There was a surprised exclamation out of the darkness, and the sound of a man vaulting from the saddle. The next moment and he had clasped his daughter in his arms. Larkin, his mission completed, started to back away from the scene, but the girl herself wrecked this intention. "It was Mr. Larkin who called out," she said, evidently in answer to a question. "He saved my life, father, and he has brought me safely back. He is standing right over there." At this Bud turned and ran, but the sound of a pony closing in on him brought him to a stop. "Well, what do you want?" he demanded angrily. "Bissell wants to see you," said the rider whose voice the sheepman recognized as that of Stelton. Not deigning to enter an argument with the foreman, Bud walked back to where Bissell stood beside his horse. "Now the sheep are out of the way, if you want to learn anything about rustlers I guess our friend here can tell you," remarked Stelton suddenly, in a voice exultant as it was ugly.