With a shrieking and grinding of brakes Mason brought the car to astop. After calming the fears of the girls he changed tires, hisexperience on the race track enabling him to accomplish this feat in ashort time. He worked feverishly, fearing a second shot from out thedark as the car would make a good target for the unknown assassin.That the bullet which hit the tire was meant for one of them he had nodoubt, and his mind coupled Spot Wells and the three strange riderswith this new outrage.
He started the car off at a fast speed and breathed a sigh of reliefwhen no shot followed them. Of the two girls, Mason could see that hissister was the more nervous and he tried to laugh away her fears. Asthe car gained momentum and they drew away from the danger spot hissister began to get more calm.
Josephine was quiet and appeared to be thinking deeply.
"Sir Jack," she asked presently, "do you connect those four men we sawthis afternoon with that rifle shot?"
"I'll have to admit that I do," he answered gravely; "anyway, I amgoing to report the incident to Bud when we arrive at the ranch."
With increasing speed he shot the car ahead, and they were allrelieved when a little later they drove to the ranch house and Masonput the car away.
In the morning he reported the matter to Bud. The sheriff grew seriousat the news and immediately word was posted at Bar X ranch for thecowboys to keep a sharp watch for Spot Wells and the three strangers.
Mason saw very little of the girls for the next few days, hisattention being taken up with matters about the ranch.
One morning, however, while working with the cowboys at the corral hewas surprised to see the girls ride up.
They were accompanied by Percy Vanderpool, and Mason stared inamazement when he heard Josephine ask her father for permission toride to Trader's Post.
But his bewilderment increased when he heard her say that theyintended to ride from there on to the Ricker ranch.
The ranch owner readily consented as he always had in the past twoevery wish of this girl of the plains. Bud made a mild protest whichwas seconded vigorously by Mason.
Josephine gave him an icy stare. He ignored her apparent chillinessand offered to go with them if they were so intent for the trip.
"Oh no," she said the words with hauteur as she faced him. "You aretoo busy! Besides, Mr. Vanderpool is going with us."
Mason looked Percy over in disgust.
"You could at least have one of the cowboys go with you," he said,turning appealingly to Bud.
Before Bud could answer, Josephine cut in with a forced laugh.
She faced Mason again and he fancied he saw a reckless light in hereyes.
"There is no danger"; she spoke the words slowly; "you must rememberthat two of Bud's cowboys are in charge of the Ricker ranch."
At the rebuke the hot blood mounted into his cheeks. He felt the stingof her words and lapsed into silence as he watched them ride off.
"Josephine is a strange girl, and I cannot understand her," he musedangrily. "Anyone would think she is sore at me for something. Shenever treats Bud that way; instead, she favors him all the time andthat proves she loves him."
Thus meditating, he passed a part of the morning away. Dinner timecame and found him in a wretched state of mind.
Later, while idly chatting with the cowboys, a rider was observedcoming from the direction of Trader's Post.
The cowboys watched him keenly when they noticed he was ridingfuriously. Mason stood near Buck Miller and was amused at the eagerway the cowboy was watching the rider's approach.
He smiled grimly as he thought how such little things interested thesecowboys. As for himself, his heart was heavy at the remembrance ofJosephine's attitude to him this day, and he was turning wearily awaywhen he heard a sharp exclamation from Buck Miller which caused him toturn and look at him in surprise.
"That's a dispatch rider from the railroad station below Trader'sPost," Buck was saying. "He must have something important from thelooks of his hoss; he's ridden the critter until it's most spent."
Mason watched with interest as the dispatch rider swung up to themwith his horse all lather.
Dismounting before his horse could come to a full stop he made his waydirectly to Bud Anderson.
"Message for you, Bud," he panted; "must be mighty important too, forI was told to get here quick, even if I had to kill my horse. Reckonhe's about done for at that," he added, watching the trembling animalwith remorse.
Springing to Bud's side, Mason watched him as he tore the messageopen. Bud hastily read its contents and silently passed it over toMason.
It was a laconic message from Trent Burton and the news he readstaggered him.
The message read as follows:
Ricker makes jail delivery. Jim Haley, Pete Carlo the Mexican, and Nick Cover with him. All headed for Nevada. Form posse and round up. Coming with deputy Jean Barry. News two weeks old.
(Signed) Marshal Trent Burton.
Mason heard Bud giving orders to his men as though in a daze. His eyescaught sight of the message again and he read the words over. News twoweeks old!
"Good God, Bud!" he cried in an agony of fear. "Do you realize whatthat message means? News two weeks old and my sister and Josephine inthe clutches of that fiend at the Ricker ranch!"
Running like the wind to the shed where his racer was kept, he quicklyhad the engine spinning. The next instant he shot past the group ofstartled cowboys. They saw him feeling on his belt for his guns, andthen man and car were swallowed up in a cloud of dust.