indeed, were very sober and Leslie's face was pale.
He hadn't realized till now how necessary his mother had become to his
happiness, and he felt sorely inclined to follow the example of the
weeping girls though rather indignant against them. It wasn't their
Lady Gray who had left, nor their beloved Dad. He exclaimed, testily:

"Girls, quit that! I'm your host now and I say--no crying! What I
propose is--do something. Let's ride to Bald Eagle Peak--or Rock. You'll
need clear eyes to follow that trail, but there'll be just time enough
to do it before bedtime. Hurray for 'Boots and Saddles!'"

Captain Lem answered quickly:

"Lad, you can't do that! You mustn't take that road till you know more
about ridin' 'n you do now, nor unless you start by daybreak. I wouldn't
try it myself, old mountaineer as I am, at this hour, lessen it was a
case of life and death. No, you can't go."

Leslie's temper rose and he retorted:

"I'm 'Boss' here now and don't you dare say 'mustn't' to me!"

The sharpshooter laughed ironically; and this enraged the boy still
further. His riding whip was in his hand and, with a furious look at the
Captain, he lifted it and brought it down upon the old man's head--who
staggered backward, then fell to the ground as if he were dead.

"Leslie! Leslie!" shrieked the onlookers, "what have you done?"

"Killed him--I--guess!" he gasped and threw himself beside the prostrate
ranchman.

CHAPTER XI

THE SHEEP HERDER'S CABIN

When, in the delirium of fever, Jim Barlow strayed from his room at San
Leon, the one idea in his mind was that the mountains called him. One
distant peak, in especial, seemed imbued with life, using human speech
and gesture--warning him to come, and come at once, lest some terrible
thing befall him. He must obey! He must--he must!

He set off at a run, his bare feet unconsciously seeking the smooth
driveway of the home-piece, and following it at breakneck speed till it
ended in the road below the mesa. There the rougher going hindered him
somewhat, but not greatly, and he kept to the highway till it reached a
river and a bridge.

Beyond the bridge the road divided into three forks, the northern one
ascending steadily toward the peak to which his fancy still fixed itself
and he struck off upon this. How long he travelled he did not know,
though his unnatural strength due to his fever must have lasted for
hours. Gradually, that fierce, inward excitement that drove him on g