d be gone all night and he would not know how many
of his men rode abroad that night.

So presently Cheyenne saddled the freshest horse in his string and
loped off, making an insulting sign with one hand when the boys wished
him luck with the girl and offered to go along and talk religion with
"feyther" just to help him out.

Very soon after that Sam Pretty Cow drifted away, and no one noticed
his absence. Sam Pretty Cow's wanderings never did attract much
attention. He was Injun, and Injuns have ways strange to white men.
For instance, he did not sleep in the tent, but spread his blankets
under whatever shelter he could find within hailing distance from the
others. He was always around when he was wanted, and that seemed to be
all that was expected of him. Sleep settled on the Devil's Tooth
round-up camp, and the night guard sang to the cattle while they rode
round and round the herd, and never dreamed that this night was not as
other nights had been.

CHAPTER SIX

BELLE MEETS AN EMERGENCY IN HER OWN WAY

A Meadow Lark, his conscience comfortable after a generous breakfast
of big and little worms carried to his mate hidden away under a thick
clump of rabbit weed down by the creek, spread rigid wings and
volplaned to the crooked post beside the corral gate, folded his
feathers snug and tilted his head aslant. _"Cler, cler, cler, cler-ee,
cler-ee!"_ he sang, and perked a wary eye toward the low-roofed
stable.

"Oh, I hear you, you sassy little sinner! I wouldn't think you'd have
the nerve, after what you've done to my radishes. I'm sure going to
mix with you, if you--Rosa! Lift a heel at me and you die! Stand
over--don't you try squeezing me against the wall, or I'll take my
quirt to you! Get over there, before I brain you! Hay-ah-h, you--"

From the sounds one would imagine that a bear, two lions and a mule
had come to handgrips in the stable, and that a woman of the Amazons
was battling with them all. The meadow lark knew better. This was his
second season on the Devil's Tooth ranch, and he knew that Belle
Lorrigan was merely harnessing her pinto team in the stable, and that
nothing out of the ordinary was taking place. Being a wise bird as
well as an inquisitive one, he fluttered up to the ridge-pole of the
roof and from that sanctuary listened beady-eyed to the customary
tumult.

Certain staccato epithets meant merely that Subrosa was objecting to
the crupper. A sudden stamping testified that Belle