“Him? He ain’t no leader. He’s a yeller dog! Wait an’ I’ll fix him for you. Hear what he said about Brand? I knew somethin’ was up. The rat said Brand told him to go ahead with the raid an’ he’d meet us at the Bowl. So you killed Brand, did you? Well, kiss yoreself good-bye, ’cause yore sure goin’ on a long journey!” The man’s hand flashed down to his side. There was a crack, and a tongue of flame belched from the muzzle. Froud gave a shrill scream and gripped his left shoulder at the same moment that Roy and Nick rode closer and covered the fellow who had shot. But the man did not fire again. “I’m gettin’ pretty poor,” he said in a sad voice. “Don’t worry, son, I won’t do no more shootin’. Here, take the gun. I won’t have no use for it where I’m goin’. ’Bout time I had a rest, I guess. First time I ever failed to kill a snake with one shot. And at ten paces, too! Yo’re lucky, Froud! Look at him wiggle! Let’s hear you sound yore rattles, you cussed sidewinder!” “That’ll do,” Mr. Manley said sternly, riding up. “You almost had a charge of murder against you--though it don’t seem like murder to shoot a snake. Froud, stop that yellin’! You ain’t killed! Get on your feet. Let’s see.” Mr. Manley dismounted, and, ripping the man’s shirt open, disclosed a small gash in the fleshy part of the shoulder. “You snivilin’ coward!” the cattle owner cried. “All that shoutin’ over a scratch! Get on your bronc now, an’ be quick about it! We’re ridin’ in. Nick an’ Gus, stay in back. Keep your guns out. The rest of you ride close. If any one makes a break, shoot an’ shoot straight! Here’s where this rustlin’ stops, once an’ for all! We’ll find out from these rats who those were who got away. Then they won’t dare show their faces around here again.” “Don’t let him get near me,” Froud whined, pointing at the man who had shot him. “He’ll kill me if he can! He was Brand’s friend--” “An’ you knifed Brand,” Mr. Manley finished, with a fierce frown. “You rat! You ought to be strung up!” “But it ain’t murder to kill a rustler, is it?” Froud asked eagerly. “It ain’t! I could get a reward fer doin’ it, couldn’t I? He’s wanted! The police in three states want him! So if I show you his body I get the reward, don’t I? Don’t I?” Mr. Manley looked at him. “Froud,” he said slowly, “I seen some snakes in my time. At least, till now I thought I had. I can’t blame that bucker for shootin’ you. Too bad he wasn’t a better shot. Froud, listen to this! Brand ain’t dead! He’s alive, an’ he’s lookin’ for you!” Froud’s face went livid. He swayed in his saddle. “He--he--ain’t dead?” he stammered. “But--I--” “You tried your best! But it wasn’t quite good enough, an’ my boys here saved his life. He got to that cabin of yours, an’ Roy an’ Teddy bound up his wound. He told everything, an’ he’ll be in the saddle again in two weeks. Froud, you’re a marked man!”