than Benito or Tony--in fact they were the ones who discovered

it while I was still asleep in my room above the bank."

"Well, how did the robber git thet there Brazos pony

then?" demanded Grayson savagely. "Thet's what I want to

know."

"You'll have to ask him, Mr. Grayson," replied Bridge.

"Villa'll ask him, when he gits holt of him," snapped

Grayson; "but I reckon he'll git all the information out of you

thet he wants first. He'll be in Cuivaca tomorrer, an' so will

you."

"You mean that you are going to turn me over to General

Villa?" asked Bridge. "You are going to turn an American

over to that butcher knowing that he'll be shot inside of

twenty-four hours?"

"Shootin's too damned good fer a horse thief," replied Grayson.

Barbara turned impulsively toward her father. "You won't

let Mr. Grayson do that?" she asked.

"Mr. Grayson knows best how to handle such an affair as

this, Barbara," replied her father. "He is my superintendent,

and I have made it a point never to interfere with him."

"You will let Mr. Bridge be shot without making an effort

to save him?" she demanded.

"We do not know that he will be shot," replied the ranch

owner. "If he is innocent there is no reason why he should be

punished. If he is guilty of implication in the Cuivaca bank

robbery he deserves, according to the rules of war, to die, for

General Villa, I am told, considers that a treasonable act.

Some of the funds upon which his government depends for

munitions of war were there--they were stolen and turned

over to the enemies of Mexico."

"And if we interfere we'll turn Villa against us," interposed

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