dvancing out on the piazza, "come here; I want to
shake hands with you, for you were of great service to me on several
occasions up in Colorado."

Tom advanced, too, and she extended her hand to him.

He appeared to be supremely happy. She didn't, of course, introduce him
to the two young ladies, for she resented their social positions. But
she did remark to them, in his hearing, that he was one of her brother's
most faithful cowboys on the old Colorado ranch, and that he was as
brave as he was faithful.

She asked Tom when he had seen Wicklow and his wife, and he replied that
he hadn't seen them for over a month, that the old force had been pretty
well scattered, and that the old ranch had been divided up into three
ranches, as three different individuals had bought it.

He said, though, that when last he saw the Wicklow family they were all
well.

CHAPTER IX.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COWBOY WHO INSISTED ON WORK OR FIGHT.

Fred called up one of his cowboys, introduced Hecker to him, and
informed him that he was henceforth to be one of the force of cowboys,
as he had been in his employ up in Colorado, and was a good fellow,
trustworthy, and not afraid of either cattle thieves or long-horned
cattle.

"Now, take him around to the stables and barns, and all the lots, and
let him see everything on the place."

"All right, boss," and he and Tom went off together. Of course, Hecker
had no end of questions to answer, for the Texas cowboy was more or less
puzzled to understand his present employer.

Of course, Tom told him that Fearnot and Olcott were the best and
bravest men whom he had ever known, and that the man who undertook to
buck against them made the mistake of his life.

Fred and Terry then busied themselves about other matters, which had
been called to their attention.

Terry suggested the feasibility of buying at least a thousand head of
sheep and fencing off a portion of the ranch for their use.

They were talking over that when word was sent to them that dinner was
ready. They went over to the house and found that Evelyn and the two
girls, with the old black cook, who had been employed in Crabtree, had
prepared a most savory meal, and they at once sat down to it.

They were about through with their meal, when they heard loud talking
and the tramping of feet, and the next moment the door leading into the
dining-room was burst in, and the big cowboy whose application for
employment had been refused,