s in a way which they
could not foresee. Sledge Hume had come to the Echo Creek.

During the past night, shortly after the arrival of Garth Conway, Jim
had ridden from the range house to the nearest village, something less
than a dozen miles down the valley, with orders to telephone a message
to Hume. The message, a mystery in itself to Jim, had been clear
enough to the man to whom it was sent and had brought him hastening
across the fifty miles lying between his ranch in the Dry Lands and the
Echo Creek. In the darkness he had come on as far as he could, until
the snow stopped him. He had spent the night at a house twenty miles
from Leland's place and now, hours before he could reasonably have been
expected, he entered Martin's study unceremoniously.

"So there's hell to pay," he said shortly by way of greeting. "The red
headed fool has discovered something, has he?"

He flung off his coat and strode to the fireplace. Garth and Leland
were together, had been together all morning, planning what was to be
done. Hume stared at Leland frowningly and then slowly transferred his
regard to Conway.

"I suppose your brains have been leaking out of your mouth again," he
said contemptuously.

Garth, his agitation of last night having left him nervous and
irritable, retorted hotly.

"Gentlemen," said Leland gravely, "may I remind you that this is hardly
a time for personal recriminations? We are not here to quarrel with
one another. I sent you word immediately, Mr. Hume, not because I saw
any necessity for your coming here but that you might know what we have
to expect at the earliest possible moment. Garth and myself have been
talking it over--"

"Talking!" exploded Hume angrily. "Well, I didn't come to talk.
There's going to be something besides a puling string of words now."

"If you have a suggestion--"

"You bet I have! I've been expecting just this thing ever since you
began playing the game with Conway there as a stool pigeon. If we'd
have sent him on a trip to Paris and paid his expenses we'd have saved
trouble and money. Can I have a drink and something to eat? I'm half
starved."

"Certainly. But your suggestion--"

"Is already working. I'm going to make it so hot for Red Shandon that
he'll come to time the first show he gets. MacKelvey is on the jump
and not over an hour or two behind me. It's time for trumps now,
Leland."

Martin jerked his head up at MacKelvey's name and stared at Hum