Strong.

CHAPTER XXI.

A CRIME WITHIN A CRIME.

"Well, friend, have you decided to come out to my ranch, and look my
stock over?"

It was Colonel Billings, the genial ranchman, who addressed Ted, meeting
him in the lobby of the hotel.

"Yes, I think I will," answered Ted. "When will it be convenient for you
to be there?"

"I am going out to-morrow, and will be glad to see you and your
friends."

"There are a good many of us," said Ted, laughing.

"The more the merrier. The house is large, and I could drop you all down
into it, and the house would hardly know it."

"How do we get out there?"

"I see you have a couple of ladies with you, and I shall telephone over
to my manager to send a carriage in for them, and horses for the use of
you boys. How many horses and saddles will you need? There are plenty at
the ranch."

"We will need eight horses. One of the ladies prefers to ride, and we'll
need a gentle pony for the small boy, whose experience is limited."

"Sidesaddle for the lady?"

"No," said Ted, with a grin, "this young lady will not use one. She is a
cowgirl, and rides a man's saddle."

"All right, my boy. The outfit will be here in the morning. By the way,
I am going to have some other guests. I suppose you will not object."

"Certainly not."

"One of them is a young New Yorker, who has come West to invest in ranch
property, and who has brought his sister with him. Charming people. The
other is a rather uncouth person, but you will forgive his
eccentricities, I am sure. To tell you the truth, he often grates on me,
but I overlook it because he has lacked advantages. He made his money in
the liquor business, in which he has been all his life. But he is a good
fellow at heart, and is my partner in a way, having invested a large sum
of money with me in cattle."

"I shall be very glad to meet them, although, I'm afraid I shall not be
able to see much of them, as I shall be very busy."

"When you are under my roof, sir, you are as free as if you had been
born there. I am glad you and your friends are coming. It does my old
heart good to have young people around me. I will see you in the
morning, and shall feel honored to escort you to my home."

With this they parted.

"Jolly old chap," said Ted to himself. "I know just how he feels about
having a lot of people come to visit him. I like it myself."

Stella had been out for a ride with little Dick. She had secured a
couple of ponies