o and this ranch. I shall give instructions for two or
three hundred dollars to be handed to Mr. Armstrong, with directions to
take the next train to Bleachers, as we need his presence here. I shall
do nothing but send a telegram, and Mr. Burns will do the rest. Now, if
you will assist me by ordering out my horse, I shall be ready to start
within ten minutes. I'd order the horse myself, but I don't think your
men would obey me."

In less than the time mentioned, Jim brought the horse to the door.
All his men were standing in front of their cabin, looking on. They
quite naturally believed that their guest had taken alarm, and was
making off to some district where he would be in less danger. When his
lordship came downstairs and out to the front, Jim was overcome with
astonishment. His lordship was accoutred amazingly, after the fashion of
the English horseman. He had dressed himself in a riding costume such as
an English gentleman would wear at home. Jim and his comrades had never
seen such an outfit before, and they greeted his appearance with a roar
of laughter.

Stranleigh sprang into his saddle with the agility of a cowboy, and
smiling good-humouredly at his audience, raised his hat to them, and
rode off.

As Stranleigh's horse entered the forest the young man began to ponder
over the problem that confronted him. When the unfortunate Armstrong
borrowed money from Ricketts, he had, of course, fully explained the
situation. The lender had examined the property in company with a mining
engineer, and this expert doubtless took away with him some ore to
analyse at his leisure. Ricketts, being in possession of the engineer's
estimate of the pit's value, had probably formed a syndicate, or
perhaps made arrangements with other capitalists, to see him through
with the speculation. Undoubtedly Ricketts expected no competition when
the estate was put up at auction, but if he was a shrewd man, as was
almost certain to be the case, events had occurred which might stimulate
thought regarding his position.

Miss Armstrong had ridden out to Bleachers, having in her possession
five thousand dollars, the face value of the notes. Ricketts would
wonder how she had obtained the money. She possessed only two thousand
dollars on her first visit, as he knew from the fact that she had
offered it to him for refraining from action until her father returned.
Who could have given her the extra three thousand? Whoever had done so
must have k