"Now listen to me carefully," the masked man told Yuma. "If the Texas Rangers see me here, with this mask on, they'll ask no end of questions. I don't want that. I want to slip out of this house by the rear stairs. You can turn these men over to the law, and Bryant will tell the entire story." There was a hammering upon the bedroom door. "The Rangers," said the masked man softly. "Tell them to go back downstairs." Yuma shouted through the door, "Vamoose, I'll be down tuh meet yuh in a minute!" "Don't you tell me to vamoose in my own house," a girl's voice retorted. "Penny!" breathed the big cowboy. "See if she is at the door alone," the masked man said while he still held the latch of the door. Penny's voice gave the answer. "Open up, you big galoot. Tonto is here with me! I've got to see that masked man in a hurry!" The Lone Ranger told Yuma to stay in the room and bind the hands of the three prisoners. Then he stepped out to the hall. Tonto said, "Me watch for Ranger. Girl want talk with you." The Indian took a place at the head of the stairs to give a sign in case the Texans came up the stairs. Penelope clutched the masked man's arm. "Please," she said with intensity in her eyes and voice, "don't let them take Uncle Bryant away. I'm sure there must be some reason for--for everything. He's been like a father to me, he's been honest and good all his life. If he's changed it must be for some reason. You promised me--" Penny held a silver bullet toward the Lone Ranger. "You gave me your word!" The Lone Ranger took the girl's small hand in his and closed her fingers about the bit of precious metal. "Keep that," he said. "Your Uncle Bryant isn't going to jail. He's going to a doctor and have his eyes fixed up." "Then--then I was right in the first place!" Penelope's face lighted up with the announcement. "The worst crime of your uncle was his refusal to let friends help him." A new note came into the confusion of voices on the first floor. Tonto explained that Jeb had been found and was telling everything he knew about the others. The masked man listened for a moment to the heavy voice that told how Wallie planned to place the murder guilt on the masked man and Bryant. Then the bedroom door jerked open. Yuma came out like a charging bull and halted abruptly at the sight of Penny. Bryant, leaning against the edge of the door, stood right behind him. "Yuh can't leave here yet," Yuma told the Lone Ranger. "I got them critters roped so's they won't make no more trouble; now yuh got tuh wait an' listen tuh what Bryant's got tuh say." Yuma looked at Penny; then his old confusion overcame him. He fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and barely raised his eyes above the floor. Bryant Cavendish went to the point at once. "You," he said to the Lone Ranger, "have gotta stay here an' run this ranch." The masked man shook his head slowly.