n who
are especially dangerous, because they can defy the law without much
risk of running counter to it."

"I don't see how one man can break the law with less danger of
punishment than another."

"It is this way: Mowbray has in his gang several deputy United States
marshals. These men have advance information of any action to be taken
by the law against the suspected perpetrators of crime. This information
is at once at the disposal of Mowbray, and he can escape the
consequences of his crimes without difficulty. He is protected, also, by
his partners rigging up accusations against innocent persons, and
convicting them by manufacturing evidence against them."

"What a villainous system!"

"It is. And it is just this thing that has enabled Mowbray to prey on
his wife for so long a time."

The major uttered an exclamation of anger.

"Another thing," continued Ted: "I am sure now that it was these very
pals of Mowbray that made the accusations against your brother, known as
Farnsworth, at the instance of Mowbray. They nursed public resentment
against the young fellow until every hand was against him, and he was
forced to become an outlaw, or fall into the hands of the authorities
and be forced into prison, or to the gallows, through the perjury of
these same deputy marshals. It is an infamous thing, and I am going to
try to sift it to the bottom and clear your brother, and see that
Mowbray gets what's coming to him."

"You are very good, and I shall never forget what you have done for me
already."

"That's all right. It's my duty as an officer of the United States in
this Territory of Arizona to do it. Never fear; there will be more to
this than the beginning, and a race is not won until it is ended."

All night one or the other of the boys patrolled the grounds, hiding in
the shrubbery, ready to give the alarm should any of Mowbray's party
return to attack the house and capture the treasure.

But dawn broke without an alarm, and the boys were astir, making ready
for the abandonment of the house and the return to the Bubbly Well
Ranch.

Ted was feeling so much better after a good night's rest that he was
able to climb into his saddle and go into the town.

His object was to get a wagon and a span of mules in which to transport
the remains of Helen Mowbray and the valuables she had left behind to
her brother's house.

At a livery stable he met the proprietor, a garrulous old man, whom,
when he had explain