face. And as her eyes strayed from the sprawling figure to
meet his, Endicott read in their depths that which caused his heart to
race madly. She stepped toward him and suddenly both paused to listen.
The girl's face turned chalk-white in the moonlight. From the
direction of the coulee came the sound of horses' hoofs pounding the
trail!

CHAPTER VII

THE ARREST

Bat Lajune grinned into the dark as the galloping cow-horse carried
Endicott out upon the trail of Purdy and the girl. "A'm t'ink dat wan
good job. Mebbe-so de pilgrim keel Purdy, _bien_! Mebbe-so Purdy keel
de pilgrim, den de sheriff ketch Purdy an' she got for git hang--dat
pret' good, too. Anyhow, Tex, she don' got for bodder 'bout keel Purdy
no mor'. Tex kin keel him all right, but dat Purdy she damn good shot,
too. Mebbe-so she git de drop on Tex. Den afterwards, me--A'm got to
fool 'roun' an' keel Purdy, an' mebbe-so A'm hang for dat, too. Wat de
hell!"

A man rode up to the corral and tied his horse to the fence. The
half-breed drew into the shadow. "Dat Sam Moore," he muttered. "She
dipity sher'ff, an' she goin' try for git 'lect for de beeg sher'ff dis
fall. Mebbe-so she lak' for git chanct for 'rest som'one. A'm goin'
see 'bout dat." He stepped to the side of the man, who started
nervously and peered into his face.

"Hello, Bat, what the devil you doin' prowlin' around here? Why hain't
you in dancin'?"

The half-breed shrugged: "Me, A'm no lak' for dance mooch. She don' do
no good. Anyhow, A'm hont 'roun' for fin' you. A'm t'ink mebbe-so you
better com' 'long wit' me."

"Come along with you! What's on yer mind?" Suddenly the man
straightened: "Say, look a here, if you're up to helpin' Tex Benton
pull off any gag on me, you've picked the wrong hand, see!"

The other shook his head vigorously: "_Non_! Tex, she goin' in de
dance-hall. She don' know nuthin' 'bout w'at A'm know."

"What you drivin' at? Come on, spit 'er out! I hain't a-goin' to fool
'round here all night an' miss the dancin'."

Bat stepped closer: "Two mans an' wan 'oman gon' up de trail. A'm
t'ink som'one goin' for git keel. Mebbe-so we better gon' up an' see
'bout dat."

"You're crazy as hell! The trail's free, hain't it? What business I
got hornin' in on 'em? I come to town for to take in the dance, an'
I'm a-goin' to. Besides it's a good chanct to do a little
'lectioneerin'." Once more Bat shrugged, and turning away, began to
unti