en the men.

"I'm intendin' to make it my business," Lane said, his voice ominously
quiet.

"You're laying up trouble for yourself," Jack warned blackly. "If you
want me for an enemy you're going at this the right way."

"I'm not lookin' for enemies. What I want is the truth. You're
concealin' it. We'll see if you can make it stick."

"We're not concealing a thing."

"Last call for you to show down your cards, Jack. Are you with me or
against me?" asked Kirby.

"Against you, you meddling fool!" Cunningham burst out in a gust of
fury. "Don't you meddle with my affairs, unless you want trouble right
off the bat. I'm not going to have a Paul Pry nosing around and
hinting slanders about me and Miss Harriman. What do you think I am?
I'll protect my good name and this lady's if I have to do it with a
gun. Don't forget that, Mr. Lane."

Kirby's steady gaze appraised him coolly. "You're excited an' talkin'
foolishness. I'm not attackin' anybody's good name. I'm lookin' for
the man who killed Uncle James. I'm expectin' to find him. If anybody
stands in the way, I'm liable to run against him."

The man from Twin Buttes bowed toward the black hair and pink ear of
his hostess. He turned on his heel and walked from the room.

CHAPTER XXIII

COUSINS DISAGREE

It was essential to Kirby's plans that he should be at liberty. If he
should be locked up in prison even for a few days the threads that he
had begun to untangle from the snarl known as the Cunningham mystery
would again be ensnared. He was not sure what action James would take
at his brother's demand that he withdraw from the bond. But Lane had
no desire to embarrass him by forcing the issue. He set about securing
a new bond.

He was, ten minutes later, in the law offices of Irwin, Foster &
Warren, attorneys who represented the cattle interests in Wyoming with
which Kirby was identified. Foster, a stout, middle-aged man with only
a few locks of gray hair left, heard what the rough rider had to say.

"I'll wire to Caldwell and to Norman as you suggest, Mr. Lane," he
said. "If they give me instructions to stand back of you, I'll arrange
a new bond as soon as possible."

"Will it take long? I can't afford to be tied up behind the bars right
now."

"Not if I can get it accepted. I'll let you know at once."

Kirby rose. He had finished his business.

"Just a moment, Mr. Lane." Foster leaned back in his swivel-chair and
looked out