een there a rather uncommon species of cactus, and he thought to make sure of it in order to secure a specimen for Lucy Bancroft's collection when next he should pa

ll behind which he had seen Conrad disappear. The superintendent was digging busily in the ground with his po

ion was engrossed in what he was doing and his thoughts were all of Lucy Bancroft, of how pleased she would be to get this rare specimen, and of how necessary it would be for him to help her plant it. José checked his horse into a walk and l

to his feet, on the alert at once lest something had gone wrong with the herd. He saw the single steer and, wheeling around to look for others, his glance took in

t. This one has given me a chase,

letting me use your knife? Mine's t

ght him an image of dashing, picturesque, masculine comeliness. "José," he said, "how did you get such skill in throwing the knife? I never saw anybody do the t

up his eyes and showing a row of white teeth beneath his mo

largest steers broke away and raced wildly back toward their grazing grounds. The superintendent called the Mexican to he

. Lariats were at their saddle horns, and Curtis carried a six-shooter in his belt, but Gonzalez had only his knife, thrust into his boot leg. They circled and headed off the steers, which elud

He glanced at the loop that came whirring through the air and his heart gave a bound of vexation. "The fool greaser is throwing too far," he muttered. With an instin

eer! Try it again." Gonzalez coiled his rope and galloped after the steer and half an

is knee. At Rock Springs, where they made camp next day, a man who gave his name as Andy Miller rode up and asked for a job. He explained that he had been working on a little ranch over to

hands, and you can stay with us unti

e good graces of the other men, cracking jokes, telling stories, and roaring out cowboy songs until bedtime. They were so

rough a ravine which furrowed the hillside to its foot, turned abruptly westward, and widened out into a goodly pool, where the c

own the hill, past the springs, and over the rise beyond. But Gonzalez, motionless in his blanket, watched his departure. And presently, when the cook had disappeared in the chuck-wagon, José rose, cast a cautious glance over the sleeping camp, and followed Conrad, taking advantage o

he shore. Through the brightening air the lean and sinewy body with its swelling muscles gleamed like rose-tinted marble below the tanned face and neck. Behi

his knife. Curtis sat down on a flat stone and reached for his shoes and stockings,

ill and untroubled as the surface of the pool. Conrad, his music silenced and nerves alert, faced quickly towar

isting motion of his body, slipped under him, and he threw out his left arm to preserve his balance. He was aware of something bright cleaving the air, of a sudden pain in his arm, and a stingin

hed, meaning to seize his throat and throttle him before he could comprehend his danger. Curtis saw the open guard and landed a blow on his chest which sent h

helpless left arm, his only weapon was his right fist, which he must use for both defence and attack. The Mexican's eyes were fired with the

ashes, did not waste his strength pounding the air. He kept his assailant eluding his feints and jumping to escape pretended charges, thinking to wear him out in that way. He soon saw that

he sharp little stones on the bank of the pool, but he was conscious neither of that nor of pain in arm or side, though the blood from his wound was making a red streak down his shirt and trousers. But he continued to hear, with a kind of divided consciousness, the sound of

nd sent him headlong. He was up again in an instant, barely in time to save himself from José's fingers, which clutched at his throat. But Gonzalez had got inside his guard and they gripped, the one with one arm and the other with two, for what each felt must be the final struggle. The American c

rad's face twitched with the hurt, and with a snarling grin Gonzalez lifted the other for similar purpose, forgetting shrewd tactics of battle in the lust of giving pain to his opponent. But Curtis caught the momentary advantage of unstable balance and with a twist and a lunge they came down together, Conrad's left shoulder striking against a stone beside which the Mexican fell. Thrilling with the surety of triumph, his

is time, Don Curtis,"

sé stood with his arms folded and head erect and looked at his employer with unafraid eyes, in which smou

t did you

smiled but m

nrad persisted. "Do you think I've mis

have nothing

of sudden conviction, Conrad thrust his face close to the other's and glared into his eyes. Gonzalez stepped back a pace and look

al. But I reckon I've sure struck the right trail this time. And look her

king how much trouble this man had given him by springing up so unexpec

me instead of the steer you tried to rope when you made that remarkable miss. I've been a fool to trust a damned greaser, even when he was in plain sight. But look here, José Gonz

you like! Keep at work with the round-up if you want to-I'm not going to give you your time for this. But I am going to write to Dell Baxter that I'm onto his scheme and that the minute you make another crack at me there'll be a bul

pied ears, and both men turned to see a dozen steers

he distance quickly, and with hoots and yells and waving arm he soon turned their course down the hillside toward the water. Gonzalez was close b

horned me just now. I've broken my collar bone, I think, and I've got this cut in my arm, and I'll have to go to Golden at once to get patched up. When I come back I want you to remembe