pardner?"

From the cabin--Annersley, as usual, was seated outside, smoking--came
the reply: "Countin' my cartridges."

Annersley knew that the anonymous letter would be followed by some
hostile act if he did not vacate the homestead. He wasted no time
worrying as to what might happen--but he did worry about Young Pete.
If the cattlemen raided his place, it would be impossible to keep that
young and ambitious fire-eater out of harm's way. So the old man
planned to take Pete to Concho the next morning and leave him with the
storekeeper until the difficulty should be solved, one way or the other.

This time they did not drive to Concho, but saddled up and rode down
the hill trail. And during the journey Young Pete was unusually
silent, wondering just what his pop planned to do.

At the store Annersley privately explained the situation to the
storekeeper. Then he told Young Pete that he would leave him there for
a few days as he was "goin' over north a spell."

Young Pete studied the old man with bright, blinking eyes that
questioned the truth of this statement. His pop had never lied to him,
and although Pete suspected what was in the wind, he had no ground for
argument. Annersley was a trifle surprised that the boy consented to
stay without demur. Annersley might have known that Young Pete's very
silence was significant; but the old man was troubled and only too glad
to find his young partner so amenable to his suggestion. When
Annersley left the store Young Pete's "So-long, pop," was as casual as
sunshine, but his tough little heart was thumping with restrained