r he'd have had Wong dead before this.
If you stay there any time at all, he'll have you in an insane asylum or
the grave. That's jest the nature of the beast."

Talpers was waxing eloquent, because it had come to him that his one
great mission in life was to protect this fine-looking girl from the
cruelty of her stepfather. An inexplicable feeling crept into his
heart--the first kindly feeling he had ever known.

"It's a dum shame you didn't have any real friends like me to warn you
off before you hit that ranch," went on Bill. "That young agent who
drove you over ought to have told you, but all he can think of is
protectin' Injuns. Now with me it's different. I like Injuns all right,
but white folks comes first--especially folks that I'm interested in.
Now you and me--"

Helen picked up her riding-whip.

"I can't hear any more to-day," she said.

Talpers followed her through the door and out on the porch.

"All right," he remarked propitiatingly. "This letter'll keep, but mebbe
not very long."

In spite of her protests, he turned the horse around for her, and held
her stirrup while she mounted. His solicitousness alarmed her more than
positive enmity on his part.

"By gosh! you're some fine-lookin' girl," he said admiringly, his gaze
sweeping over her neatly clad figure. "There ain't ever been a
ridin'-rig like that in these parts. I sure get sick of seein' these
squaws bobbin' along on their ponies. There's lots of women around here
that can ride, but I never knowed before that the clothes counted so
much. Now you and me--"

Helen struck the white horse with her whip. As if by accident, the lash
whistled close to Bill Talpers's face, making him give back a step in
surprise. As the girl rode away, Talpers looked after her, grinning.

"Some spirited girl," he remarked. "And I sure like spirit. But mebbe
this letter I've got'll keep her tamed down a little. Hey, you
Bear-in-the-Cloud and Red Star and Crane--you educated sons o' guns
settin' around here as if you didn't know a word of English--there ain't
any spirits fermentin' on tap to-day, not a drop. It's gettin' scarce
and the price is goin' higher. Clear out and wait till Jim McFann comes
in to-morrow. He may be able to find somethin' that'll cheer you up!"

CHAPTER IV

Sheriff Tom Redmond was a veteran of many ancient cattle trails. He had
traveled as many times from Texas to the Dodge City and Abilene points
of shipment as some of our trave