e was looking back with impassive, reddened eyes at the
approaching figure.

"Hold on, Tom! Don't shoot! It's Brad," he decided. "And I wonder what
in Mexico he is doing here."

The leader of the outlaws was soon to learn. Irwin told the story of the
strategy that had changed him from jailer to prisoner and of the way he
had later freed himself from the rope that bound him.

Healy unloaded his sentiments with an emphasis that did the subject
justice. Nevertheless he could not see that their plans were seriously
affected.

"It's a leetle premature, but his getaway doesn't cut any ice. What we
want to do is to nail him, clamp the evidence home, and put him out of
business before his friends can say Jack Robinson. The story now is that
he was caught driving a little bunch of cows to met the big bunch his
pals were rustling, and that we left him in charge of Brad while we
tried to run down the other waddies. Understand, boys?"

They did, and admired the more the versatility of a leader who could
make plans on the spur of the moment to meet any emergency.

"We'll push right on, boys. Once we get through the pass it will trouble
anybody to find us. Before mo'ning you'll be across the line."

"And you, Brill?"

"I'm going back to settle accounts for good and all with Mr. Keller,"
answered Healy grimly between set teeth. "I've got a notion about him. I
believe he's a spy."

Just before Point o' Rocks a defile runs into the Mimbres Pass at right
angles. The leaders of the cattle, pushed forward by the pressure from
behind, stopped for a moment, and stood bawling at the junction. A rider
spurred forward to keep them from attempting the gulch. Suddenly he
dragged his pony to its haunches, so quickly did he stop it. For a clear
voice had called down a warning as if from the heavens:

"You can't go this way! The Pass is closed!"

The rider looked up in amazement, and beheld a man standing on the
ledge above with a rifle resting easily across his forearm.

"By Heaven, it's Keller!" the rustler muttered.

He wheeled as on a half dollar, pushed his way back along the edge of
the wall past the cattle, and shouted to his chief:

"We're trapped, Brill!"

None of the outlaws needed that notification. Five pair of eyes had
lifted to the ledge upon which Keller stood. The shock of the surprise
paralyzed them for an instant. For it occurred to none of the five that
this man would be standing there so quietly unless he were b