und of whispering in the shadows just outside their
hiding-place, managed to restrain her companion. It was well that she
succeeded, for even as Paloma raised her weapon a man passed swiftly by
the crack of the half-open door and scarcely ten feet beyond the muzzle
of the rifle. He was followed by three others.

The first of the new-comers, acting as spokesman for his party, stepped
out into the moonlight and cried, loudly: "Hello, men! What's goin' on
here?" It was an American voice; it had a broad, slow, Texas drawl.

The group of plotters turned, there was a startled murmur, then Tad
Lewis answered:

"Hello! Who are you? What do you want?"

"I reckon we must have got off the road," announced the stranger. Then
he peered out across the river: "Say! Ain't that a skiff coming
yonder?" he inquired.

"Well, it don't look like a steamboat." Lewis laughed, disagreeably.
"We're havin' a little party of our own. I reckon you fellows had
better beat it. Understand?"

The outposts that had been sent to cover the bank in both directions
were now coming in. Through the stillness of the night there sounded
the thump of oar-locks. Seeing that the stranger did not seem to take
his hint, Lewis raised his voice menacingly:

"That's your road back yonder. It's a right good road, and I'd advise
you to travel it, fast."

But this suggestion was also ignored; in fact, it appeared to amuse the
man addressed, for he, too, laughed. He turned, and the women noticed
that he carried a short saddle-gun. They saw, also, that at least one
of the men at his back was similarly armed.

"Now, what's the hurry?" The stranger was chuckling. Suddenly he raised
his voice and called, loudly: "Hello, Dave! Is that you-all?"

The answer floated promptly back: "Hello, Cap! Sure it's us."

"Have you got him?"

It was Blaze Jones's voice which answered this time: "You bet!"

Paloma Jones was trembling now. She clung to Alaire, crying,
thankfully: "It's the Rangers! The Rangers!" Then she broke away and
ran out into the moonlight, trailing her absurd firearm after her.

"Now, boys," the Ranger captain was saying, "I know 'most every one of
you, and we ain't going to have the least bit of trouble over this
thing, are we? I reckon you-all are friends of Ricardo Guzman, and you
just couldn't wait to find out about him, eh?"

Alaire, who had followed Paloma, was close enough now to recognize the
two Guzman boys as members of the Ranger party. Lewis