"What a beauty!" exclaimed Walter.

The sunlight shone full on the handsome horse. He was black, save
for his chest, forefeet, and a star on his forehead. Those spots
gleamed as white as silver. His tail swept the ground. His coat
shone as though it had just been curried. He stamped his hoofs upon
the rock and called again to the herd that he had trailed down from
the fastnesses of the hills.

"If we could only catch him!" murmured Nan.

Rhoda laughed. "You want to catch that outlaw; and Bess wants to
find the Mexican treasure. I reckon you'll both have your work cut
out for you."




CHAPTER XIX

A RAID


The branding of the horses had drawn from ranches all about every
man that could be spared. There were upward of a hundred men,
including the camp workers and cooks, in the Rolling Spring Valley
for those three days.

And how they did work! From early morning until dark the fires in
the branding pens flamed. Roped horses and colts were being dragged