murmured the rider. "What with one thing and another I've got a notion
I'm going to take a liking to this country."

The man was plainly very tired with rapid travel, and about the middle
of the afternoon the young man unsaddled and picketed the animal near
a water-hole. He lay down in the shadow of a cottonwood, flat on his
back, face upturned to the deep cobalt sky. Presently the drowse of
the afternoon crept over him. The slumberous valley grew hazy to his
nodding eyes. The reluctant lids ceased to open and he was fast
asleep.

CHAPTER II

LIEUTENANT FRASER INTERFERES.

The sun had declined almost to a saddle in the Cuesta del Burro when
the sleeper reopened his eyes. Even before he had shaken himself free
of sleep he was uneasily aware of something wrong. Hazily the sound of
voices drifted to him across an immense space. Blurred figures crossed
before his unfocused gaze.

The first thing he saw clearly was the roan, still grazing in the
circle of its picket-rope. Beside the bronco were two men looking the
animal over critically.

"Been going some," he heard one remark, pointing at the same time to
the sweat-stains that streaked the shoulders and flanks.

"If he had me on his back he'd still be burning the wind, me being in
his boots," returned the second, with a grating laugh, jerking his