dows.

Haig slowly swept the crowd with an inquiring glance. All these men
were hostile toward him, of course; but how far would they support
Huntington? No matter! He swung himself suddenly out of the saddle,
and addressed himself to the leader of the cowboys.

"You're Larkin, aren't you?" he said.

"Yes," answered the embarrassed cow-puncher.

"And the others are Smith and--"

"Raley," prompted Larkin.

"And here, of course, is my good friend Huntington, looking like
Fortune with both hands full."

Several men in the crowd laughed, whereupon Huntington, who had
evidently forgotten the money, made matters worse for himself by
hastily and clumsily thrusting it into the pockets of his coat, while
his face flushed angrily.

"That's right, Cousin Seth," Haig said lightly. "You may need it."

Marion, at these words, quivered with alarm. Was he going to tell
Huntington, there in that crowd, of the incident in the pasture? His
next speech, however, reassured her.

"Now, Larkin," he said, "let's understand things. That's my horse,
isn't it?"

"That's what I've been sayin' some time back," answered Larkin, in a
tone of relief.

"And you, Smith?"

"I suppose so," was the sullen reply.

"And Raley?"

"No, it ain't!" answered that one with a sudden flare-up of courage.

"Then whose horse is it?"

"It belongs to Larkin an' Smith an' me."

"Of course. But why did you bring him to Paradise Park?"

"To sell him."

"To whom, please?"

Raley, caught in the trap, looked appealingly toward Smith, but got no
help from him.

"To whom?" repeated Haig sharply.

"To you--if you wanted him!" Raley blurted out at last.

"If I wanted him!" retorted Haig ironically. "I bargained for him with
you, didn't I?"

"Yes," growled Raley.

"And you went and caught him _for me_?"

"Yes."

"And you brought him to Paradise Park _for me_?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Don't be downhearted!" he said cheerfully. "A good name is
more to be desired than great riches. Isn't that so, Cousin Seth?"

The ranchman's face flamed.

"If you've got anything to say to me, say it quick!" he jerked out.

"I have several things to say to you, one at a time," replied Haig
smoothly. "To begin with, these men told you the horse was mine,
didn't they?"

"No, they didn't. They said you'd offered a thousand dollars for
him."

Haig laughed.

"All right, if that suits you better! They told you they had brought
him here to deliver him to me