likely we'll go into business out
here together. I'm looking for an invest--"

Suddenly he let out a wild scream, scrambled to his feet, and fled
behind Wanda, his ruddy cheeks suddenly paling.

"My God!" he chattered. "Look at that thing!"

Wanda looked and saw what since a child she had called a
"Snake-lizard," a very frightened snake-lizard at that, which with tail
aloft was scampering wildly from near Dart's place at luncheon into the
nearby thicket. Her own sudden fright that had been aroused by Dart's
headlong dash and piercing yell gave way to a peal of laughter.

"Look here, Wanda," he said sharply. "On the level, that thing ain't
deadly, is it? I been setting on it for half an hour, I know. It
might have been biting me all the time, I'm so numb I wouldn't have
felt it."

She assured him, chokingly, that there was no cause for alarm. Dart
rubbed himself and brightened. But his face fell again as she went on
to inform him that the creatures were so numerous that in his walk home
he might encounter a dozen.

So it was that Mr. Willie Dart changed his mind and decided to ride the
three miles across the valley.

CHAPTER XIII

SLEDGE HUME MAKES A CALL AND LAYS A WAGER

"Now, my erstwhile Noble Benefactor, brighten up and look happy. I've
got some red, white and blue news for you. I like you first rate, I'm
strong for the grub and I guess I can stand for the country being stood
on edge. I've come to stay!"

The door had been flung open and Mr. Willie Dart came gaily into Wayne
Shandon's bed room carrying a big book in his hands, trailing a long
wisp of fragrant smoke from one of his host's cigars behind him.
Shandon looked at him with a sober, thoughtful frown, and seemed in no
way hilariously impressed with Mr. Dart's glad tidings.

Already the latter had been at the Bar L-M several days. During this
time Shandon had not seen Wanda; he had come close to blows with Ruf
Ettinger; he had been variously and grievously annoyed by Mr. Dart;
certain other matters had gone wrong; and altogether he was in no
pleasant mood.

"Look here, Dart," he replied savagely, kicking off his boot so hard
that it struck against the far wall of the room, and continuing his
undressing with a fierceness that brought a momentary speculative
squint into Mr. Dart's innocent eyes. "What's your game, anyhow?"

"Game?" Willie Dart put a great deal of reproach into his tone. "Nix
on that, Red, old sport. When