CHAPTER XIX
THE ROUND-UP
When Mason arrived at the Ricker ranch in his racer there was anominous silence about the place that confirmed his worst fears. Heknew the girls must have arrived at the ranch ahead of him, but seeingno signs of life about the place he left his motor running andsprinted for the house.
Just as he threw the door open he heard a piercing scream followed bya revolver shot that appeared to come from the depths of the cellar.He drew his revolver and fired an answering shot. He dashed madly downthe stairs leading to the cellar where he found himself in pitchdarkness. Sounds of a struggle reached his ears as he blindly felt hisway along the cellar. He cursed his stupidity for not thinking to havebrought along a light of some kind.
The sounds of a struggle had abruptly ceased and a deathly silenceprevailed. Too late!
He had traversed the entire length of the cellar and was about tostart a search of the secret passage when he heard a number of shotsfired in rapid succession.
Soon after, to his dismay, his engine stopped running. In desperationhe raced back through the cellar and collided with a man who had juststarted to come down the cellar stairs.
A fierce battle ensued between them, Mason's adversary striving tobring his revolver butt down on his head. The fellow wore a mask andafter repeated attempts Mason succeeded in tearing it off.
The gunman was a stranger to him. Mason redoubled his efforts andbackheeling the man, threw him downstairs. The delay had provedcostly, however, and when he got out to his car he found the gasolinetank punctured with bullet holes. In the distance a party of horsemenwith Josephine, Ethel and Percy in their midst were riding hard forthe foothills.
"Oh, hell," he swore to himself as he leaned dejectedly against hisuseless racer. "I'm some rescuer, I don't think. Why didn't TrentBurton's message come through sooner. The news two weeks old and thosecut-throats at large all this time. I think now that the four ridersGaylor and I saw that day were just a scouting party of Ricker's. Yes,and the rifle shot that blew my tire out was some of their dirty worktoo. Lucky the bullet hit a tire instead of one of the girls, but itwasn't their fault that it didn't."
The thought of the girls' plight nerved him to swift action and he setout to search the premises for a horse. He wondered what had become ofthe two cowboys who were in charge of the ranch. His mind wasbordering on a state of frenzy after he had searched the corral andfailed to find a horse.
About a hundred yards from the corral lay the bunk-house. It was alarge building and Mason noticed there was a small shed attached tothe far corner of it. Something impelled him to look the buildingover, and it was well that he did so. Upon entering the bunk-house hefound the two guards. They were bound and gagged and tied to one ofthe bed posts. Mason liberated them, after which he stood regardingthem with scorn.
"Well, you're a fine pair of huskies, I must say," he saidcontemptuously. "Hell's to pay about this ranch, and here I find youtwo cowboys trussed up like two fine turkeys. Both girls carried offby Ricker and his gang of cut-throats and no one here to stop them.How did it happen, anyway?" he wound up savagely.
Both cowboys had been spare hands at the Bar X ranch, and Mason feltthat Bud had made a mistake in not placing more competent men incharge of the Ricker ranch. His own choice would have been the twofire eaters, Scotty Campbell and Red Sullivan.
"Don't be too hard on us, boss," one of the cowboys pleaded. "Ithappened this way. Bob, here, rode over to the Post for supplies rightafter I came in off the range. Just after he had left and got out ofsight somebody sneaked up behind me and cracked me over the head. WhenI came to my senses I found Bob tied up alongside of me. I didn't havea chance, pard, honest I didn't."
"I got served the same way," the cowboy named Bob spoke up. "I met thegirls and the young fellow at the Post, and Miss Josephine said theywere coming on to the ranch. I left quite a spell ahead of them andgot served the same as Jim here."
"So it seems," Mason said sarcastically. "You fellows can squareyourself to a certain extent if you will dig me up a horse."
"That's easy," Bob spoke up eagerly, "my horse is tied in the shed atthe end of the bunk-house, and Jim's horse is there too."
"All right," Mason answered curtly, "I'll take one of them and whenyou get a chance, tow my machine to Trader's Post and have thegasoline tank repaired. The tank is shot full of holes and I will haveto depend on you cowboys to see that it is fixed and send the bill onto me at Bar X ranch. I expect some of Bud's men will be here beforelong, and by the way, I knocked one of Ricker's men down cellar. Youmight go and see if he's there yet, and hand him over to Bud's menwhen they come along."
Quickly he looked the cowboys' horses over and picking out the betterone he set out rapidly for Bar X ranch. On the way he met a detachmentof Bud's men led by Big Joe Turner. They had been ordered to report atthe Ricker ranch and would be joined by Bud the next day. Big Joeinformed him that a general alarm had been sent out and that theGaylor brothers had been notified. A fast rider had been dispatched totheir ranch and they were expected at Bar X the next morning. Masonrelated all that had happened at the Ricker ranch and gave as hisjudgment that there were eight men in Ricker's gang.
There was a general tightening of belts and a savage glitter in themen's eyes as he told his story. Josephine was a popular idol with themen of Bar X and it would go hard with her captors if they should fallinto these cowboys' hands.
Mason bid them good luck and pressed on. It was late at night when hearrived at Bar X, but he immediately sought out Bud and they held along consultation.
They planned to send out a detachment of cowboys the next morning andanother one in the afternoon.
In all, there were to be three detachments of cowboys who were torelay each other in turn.
"What gets me," Mason said in perplexity, "is why Trent Burton didn'tget word through to us sooner."
"I forgot to tell you that I received another message from him whileyou was away," Bud said with a look of wonder in his eyes. "Heexplained in this last message that the jail officials tried theirbest to locate him, but he was away on a case at the time. The messagewas brought to me by a rider just an hour after I received the firstone. He sure is a wonder and is a strange man. Here, read this lastmessage yourself."
"Talking about me?" an amiable voice said over their shoulder.
Both men jumped to their feet in astonishment. They were sitting in alittle room used as an office of the ranch house.
"For God's sake, Trent Burton!" Bud stared at him.
"How did you get here?"
"Why, it was very simple, I assure you," the strange man answeredblandly. "The door was partly open and I merely walked in. I repeat,were you talking about me?"
"We sure were," Mason answered. He had recovered in a measure from hisastonishment.
"Well, you know the old saying, speak of the devil and you hear hiswings."
"You must have wings at that," Bud retorted; "what I want to know ishow you arrived at this ranch so soon after wiring me?"
"First part, special train; second part, fast automobile. Fastautomobile is outside this minute. Now that I have cleared myself,what has my estimable friend Ricker been doing since he broke loose? Isee where I have all my work to do over again."
Briefly they told him of the counterfeiter's latest outrage, and allthree sat up till a late hour perfecting plans for the morrow.
There was little sleep for Mason that night, and the morning found himworn and haggard. Trent Burton had taken absolute charge and alreadyone group of fighting men had left the ranch to join Big Joe Turner atthe Ricker ranch. Mason wanted to leave with them, but the Marshalwouldn't listen to his pleading.
"Stick with me, man, and brace up," he said kindly. "I want all thebrainy men with me. There is still another outfit to go before westart, and in our group will be such men as Bud, fire-eating Scotty,Red, Tex, Buck Miller and yourself. The Gaylor ranch has sent over tenmen and Bruce Gaylor is coming with the rest. We will need all the
menwe can get to beat the mountains and surround the outlaws."
Mason was silently turning the events of the past twenty-four hoursover in his mind.
"This is going to be a delicate mission," the Marshal continued, "andat the least sign of a slip-up on our part, that beast will butcherthose girls. Ricker is a desperate man and I am waiting for him toshow his hand. He knows that I will be sent after him, and the factthat he has the girls and Percy in his power forces me to move withcaution. I have a suspicion that he will try to get word through to usas to his demands. That is the reason why I am in no hurry to take tothe mountains, and I want you to be here when that word comes. Restcontent that the girls will be safe, for I am convinced that his firstdemand will be for money."
An hour later the next section left in charge of the Gaylor brothers.When noon came, Mason was almost going mad at his inaction. He waselectrified five minutes later when Scotty came to the house with newsthat a dispatch rider was waiting for him at the bunk-house. Hehastened down and the message was placed in his hands. It was fromJosephine and was written at the command of Ricker. The demand was formoney with a warning not to try to find the girls under penalty oftheir death. If they agreed to pay over the amount of money demandedin the dispatch, Ricker would see that the prisoners were set free.
He stipulated in the message that they would be given forty-eighthours to decide, and at the expiration of that time, if a messengerdid not arrive at Duke Williams' place at Smoky Point, the prisonerswould be killed.
It closed with a warning to Mason and Bud that any attempt to captureRicker's agent at Duke Williams' hotel would result in the girls'death.
The message was written in Josephine's own handwriting.
"Where did you get this message?" Mason asked, looking sharply at therider.
"It was given me at the station by a stranger and I was paid well todeliver it to you," the rider answered simply.
"There will be no answer," Mason said shortly, dismissing him.
He kept turning the envelope over in his hand. On one corner there wasdrawn the picture of a butterfly, and it puzzled him. Hunting up theMarshal he turned the message over to him.
The latter read it, then gave a long whistle.
"So, he has shown his hand at last," was his comment; "whew! a coolmillion he wants. Modest in his demands, isn't he?"
"What puzzles me," Mason replied, "is what that butterfly means on thecorner of the envelope."
The Marshal looked it over carefully.
"Just merely the whim of a girl," he said at length.
"I don't believe it," Mason protested warmly. "Josephine drew thatpicture on there for a purpose, and I would stake my life on it."
"There may be a reason for the picture at that," the Marshal repliedthoughtfully; "well, anyway, the counterfeiter has shown his hand, andnow I can work with light ahead."
The Marshal's forces were to start within an hour.
Mason with Red Sullivan and Scotty were looking over their guns at thebunk-house.
Tex, a short distance away from them, was watching an object in thesky. Finally he called Red over to where he stood, and Red in turncalled Mason over to them.
"Shure, Jack, and isn't that a devil of a big bird?" the Irishmanasked, pointing to the sky.
Mason looked up and stared at the object which was looming up largerto their vision each minute.
"That's an airplane," he said at last in wonderment.
"Holy Saints!" Red cried, crossing himself, "and may the devil flyaway with it!"
Mason could plainly hear the humming of the motor now, and he took offhis hat and waved it excitedly.
"Tex, call Trent Burton to come here at once," he said, a glad ring tohis voice. "Red, I'll bet your old red head, that's my friend RoyPurvis the aviator, from New York."
The airplane came down in graceful spirals and made a landing a shortdistance from the corral. Mason rushed over and the aviator offeredhim a languid hand which Mason shook heartily.
"Roy, you're just the man I want to see," he cried, "you dropped outof the sky just in time."
"I'll say I did, I was all out of gasoline, you know," the aviatoranswered, leaning languidly back in his seat gazing interestedly atthe cowboys who stood looking him and the airplane over inopen-mouthed wonder.
"Am I welcome?" Roy questioned, turning his attention again to Mason.
"Certainly you're welcome. What makes you think you wouldn't bewelcome to Bar X ranch?" Mason demanded.
"Well, be a good fellow and help unstrap me from this confounded seat,and when we get to the house I'll tell you," he answered whimsically.
Mason called one of the cowboys over to assist him. In a smallcompartment back of the aviator's seat was his luggage. It consistedof four suitcases and a black object resembling a tank about the sizeof a suitcase. Roy took especial charge of this black tank.
"Why all these warlike preparations?" he queried, noticing thebristling guns of the cowboys. "Looks like I had dropped into afighting man's country for fair."
"I'll explain the whole business to you when we get to the house andyou have had some refreshments," Mason answered.
"Hang the refreshments," Roy growled, with another puzzled look at thecowboys with their revolvers and saddle guns.
At the house, after having been introduced all around, he surprisedMason by asking him if there was a dark room in the house.
"No," the latter answered with a blank look, "but I think we could rigyou up one."
"Friends," the aviator said with a look into their anxious faces, "Ican see that you are in some kind of trouble, and from a hint that myfriend Mason dropped, I think I can help you out. Just rig me up thatdark room, Jack, and I will show you something that will surpriseyou."
"There is a small closet in my room and you can use it," Mason saidquickly.
Taking the mysterious black tank with him the aviator left them andwas in the room for a half hour. When he came out he held a number offilms in his hands.
"Before I join these films together," he said to his mystifiedaudience, "I want to tell you of a little incident that happened to methis morning. Starting from a town about a hundred miles from here,and depending entirely on my compass, for I had no idea where the BarX ranch lay, I crossed the railroad track at a point fifty miles belowhere.
"If you remember, there was a slight mist this morning, making itdifficult to distinguish objects unless I flew quite low. Knowing Ihad a good supply of gasoline I opened the engine up wide and flew ata high altitude and drifted aimlessly in the hope that the mist wouldsoon clear away.
"My wish was soon granted, but, to my surprise, I found myself flyingover your wonderful mountains and hopelessly lost. Bringing theairplane around, I determined to cruise in the opposite direction.
"Flying at a lower altitude, I was surprised to see a group of mendirectly under me. The place was an ideal spot to land, and shuttingoff the engine I began to make spirals, at the same time taking thisseries of films you see in my hand.
"One of the men commenced to fire a revolver at me, and thinking itwouldn't be healthy to land among them, I started my engine. Aftermuch difficulty, I succeeded in reaching this ranch. I didn't knowwhat ranch it was, but for once I was lucky."
The aviator joined the films together and held them out to theirstartled eyes. It was a complete picture of the counterfeiter'sretreat in the mountains and showed the two girl prisoners!
"This is wonderful," the Marshal exclaimed. "Bud, do you think youhave a man that can locate this place?"
"I know right where it is," Bud replied, breathing heavily. "It isdead easy to find, but hard to get at. It can be taken all right, butif we force the position, they are sure to kill the girls."
Mason was making a close examination of the films.
A semicircle of rock showed plainly, and as near as he could judge,about two hundred yards back from this semicircle there was a flattable rock, backed by a cliff that rose hundreds of feet in the air.
; A cabin, showing the two girls outside looking up at the sky, wasplainly visible.
Mason called Bud over to him.
"Bud, you say you know where this place is?" he questioned him.
The latter nodded.
"And the only point of attack is this semicircle of rock," Masoncontinued, "and if we rush that point there is nothing to preventRicker from killing the girls before we could get to them."
"That's just the way I figure it out," Bud agreed.
"Well, I have a plan that has a chance of success," Mason said grimly."If we should pay those cutthroats the money they demand, we are notsure they will keep their word about delivering the prisoners safelyto us. We have just got to go in and get them.
"My plan is to dynamite this semicircle of rock, then rush in and getthe girls before Ricker's men can recover from their surprise. Theyare sure to guard that point every minute. Let me have Scotty to drawtheir fire while I lay the blasting charge. They know what a recklessdaredevil Scotty is and as I will keep out of sight they will think heis attacking them single-handed, and they will all be busy trying topick him off. When the blasting charge goes off you can rush theposition and capture them before they recover from their surprise."
"That's a good plan, lad," the Marshal said with an approving glanceat him. "We will arrange to arrive at their mountain retreat at fiveo'clock tomorrow morning. It won't do to make the attack at night, forif anything went wrong they could kill the prisoners before we knewit. I'll send Jean Barry to the Ricker ranch with my automobile, andhave Big Joe get all the men together. Our party will join them therein time to reach the counterfeiter's stronghold by five o'clockto-morrow morning."
"Jack, have the cowboys take their horses along with them to theranch, and I will take you there in my airplane," Roy cut in.
Mason looked at his watch.
"That will be fine," he said. "It is just one P.M. and I won't have tostart from here until about five o'clock if I go by airplane. We areall to meet at the Ricker ranch and make a start from there some timeduring the night. The Marshal and Bud have the trip timed so we willreach the counterfeiter's stronghold early in the morning and takethem by surprise."
Mason and Roy laid a plan for the latter to be in the vicinity of themountain retreat, and after Mason had set off the explosive charge anda successful rescue was accomplished, Roy was to carry the glad newsby airplane to the girls' anxious parents.
They put in some of the time going over the airplane and getting it inorder. The Marshal and Bud had left with the last cowboys, and at fiveo'clock Mason and Roy started their flight. In a short time they hadovertaken and passed the Marshal's riders.
Arriving at the Ricker ranch they made a safe landing and immediatelyturned in to get a little rest.
Mason's sleep was fitful, and he was glad when aroused by the Marshaland told that the hour had struck.
The dynamite with wire and a battery was given to him, and Scotty wascarefully rehearsed in the part he was to play. The moon was shiningas the grim riders formed and set out rapidly for the foothills.Sunrise found them concealed at the base of the outlaws' stronghold.
Mason and Scotty began their perilous climb to the semicircle of rock.It was thought to be utterly impossible to approach closer than ahundred yards to the stronghold without being challenged by theguards. It was the brave Scot's duty to open fire the minute he waschallenged and attract the outlaws' attention while Mason was to crawlto a position where he could place the charge of dynamite to the bestadvantage.
When the charge was planted he was to set it off, while the Marshalwas to hurl his men on the outlaws before they could recover fromtheir surprise.
They had climbed to within seventy-five yards of the strongly guardedpoint, when a sharp command to halt rang out. Scotty recklesslyexposed himself to view for an instant and received a bullet throughthe crown of his hat. Flattening his body against the rocks, he openeda hot fire in reply. Mason continued to crawl ahead fast, butcautiously, working slightly around to the right. The outlaws sent ahail of bullets down past Scotty, which the Scot returned withinterest, still keeping up his pretense of attack.
Mason worked up so close that he could see the outlaws answeringScotty's shots with their rifles. He carefully placed the dynamitecharge and dropped swiftly down the ledge with wire and battery. At asafe distance from the deadly charge he turned the switch of thebattery. A tremendous explosion followed.
Amid falling rocks, Scotty came racing over to him, and together theyscrambled up the cliff and into the outlaws' stronghold.
The outlaws were wild with excitement and Jim Haley was trying torally them when a bullet from Scotty's gun put him out of action.
Mason and Scotty dropped down behind a rock just as a volley ofbullets whistled over their heads.
Ricker rallied his men and firing rapidly he gave a yell of defiance.Seeing that he had but two men behind the rock to deal with, he calledto his men and they started to rush in upon them.
Pieces of rock and dirt were filling the eyes of Mason and Scotty asthey crouched behind the rock and their position was getting perilousas they couldn't return the fire without exposing themselves.
As the outlaws charged across the open, a bullet caught Ricker in theside and he reeled, his gun in the air.
Bud and Trent Burton were in the fight and the latter had cut loosewith his deadly automatics!
Sorely wounded, the counterfeiter turned and bringing his gun down,emptied it point blank at his hated foe. Trent Burton's guns weretrained on him and were spitting a steady stream of lead.
The counterfeiter's knees began to sag and his shots went wild.Josephine and Ethel stood at the cabin door, their faces white withfear.
Overhead, Roy's airplane motor was humming in harmony with thecracking of the guns. Mason stood up from behind the rock as he sawthe halfbreed Mexican start with a yell toward the girls' cabin.
Mason shouted a warning to the girls and turned his smoking gun on thehalfbreed. At the third shot the Mexican fell, and Mason rushed overand clasped his sister in his arms.
When the fight was over, Percy was found tied securely in the outlaws'cabin.
Ricker was dying and Jim Haley and Nick Cover were severely wounded.The Mexican was brought into the outlaws' cabin and breathed his lastwhile Trent Burton was examining his wound.
The Marshal arranged to have Mason and Bud leave at once with thegirls, and when they arrived at the Ricker ranch, Mason was to takethe Marshal's automobile and drive them to Bar X ranch.
"Some round-up," the Marshal observed to Bud as they parted. "I wantedto take Ricker alive, but he was trying to get me, so it was his lifeor mine."
"Yes, and I had to pin Spot Wells just as he was drawing a bead onScotty," Bud replied regretfully.
CHAPTER XX
SILVER SKIES
The trip to the Ricker ranch was uneventful, the girls maintaining atired silence. They had passed through an ordeal that would have triedthe nerves of strong men. At the ranch, Mason hastily got theMarshal's car ready and they started for the ride home. Bud insistedon remaining at the Ricker ranch to look after the men and prisonerswhen they came in.
Mason drove at a moderate speed, and gradually the girls came out oftheir listless mood.
"Cheer up," Mason said gaily, "I'll soon have you home right side upwith care, and you will get a grand welcome, I can assure you. Roy,the aviator, flew home with the good news as soon as he found out thatwe had made your rescue, and it would be just like him to come sailingback this way any minute."
"You're very good to us," Josephine murmured, leaning back in the seatwith a tired sigh.
He glanced at them quizzically.
"What you girls need is a good rest to-night and you will be all rightin the morning," he said, compassionately.
Halfway to the ranch they saw the daring aviator heading towards them.The birdman was flying at a dizzy height and when directly over themhe went into a series of loops after which he banked the airplanesharply
and continued along with them to the ranch. It would beuseless to try to describe the joy of the girls' anxious parents whenthey found them safe in their arms.
In the evening, Bud came in with Percy Vanderpool and the cowboys.Jean Barry the deputy had come with them to run the Marshal's carback to the Ricker ranch. The Marshal was to remain at the ranchuntil the wounded prisoners could be moved. He would then lodgethem in jail and return East to an important criminal case. He senthearty congratulations to the girls on their timely escape from theoutlaws, and promised to visit Bar X again in the near future.
The next day Mason was kept busy about the ranch until noon. Roy hadjust returned from a flight to Trader's Post and brought back amessage for Mason. It was from his father, saying he was coming totake his mother and sister home.
The news that his father was coming to Bar X ranch pleased himimmensely, and he hastened to break the news to his mother and sister.
His mother seemed glad, but Ethel's face clouded when she heard herfather was coming.
"What's the matter, sis?" he cried in wonder. "Don't you want to gohome?"
"Of course not," she answered in a vexed tone. "Why, I have been herescarcely a month, and it is much more pleasant out here this time ofthe year than in a stuffy city."
"Well, you can take the matter up with Dad when he comes," he saidbriefly, starting for the door. "Roy is going to take me to Trader'sPost to see if they have got my car repaired."
Josephine had just entered the room and he paused, with his hand onthe door knob. She was dressed in a stunning creation of champagnesilk and he gazed at her in silent admiration.
"How do you like my new dress, Sir Jack?" she asked, making him acurtsy. "My, but you are a busy man. I am going to play lady for a fewdays, and I intended to ask you to take me down to Rover's kennel.Father tells me the poor dog has been acting sick lately, and I wantto see if there is anything I can do for him."
"Certainly I'll go with you," he answered readily; "I will tell Roynot to wait for me and will join you in a minute."
Roy agreed to make the trip alone, and when Mason arrived at thekennel, Josephine was bending over Rover. The dog was frisking aroundher and joyously barking a welcome.
"There's nothing the matter with Rover, he's merely lonesome to seeyou," he said.
They had taken seats on a rustic bench between two cottonwood trees.Josephine was fondly watching the dog's antics.
"Oh, I am so glad there is nothing the matter with him. He was themeans of saving my life once, you know."
"That time, I remember well," he answered, a feeling of gloom stealingover him.
He was thinking of her deep concern over Bud's injury when she wasrescued from the brute Tom Powers.
"I suppose you would have been better pleased yesterday if Bud hadbeen the one to rescue you," he said, a little ungallantly.
"What makes you think that?" her face was averted from him.
"Well, you love him, don't you?" he put the question bluntly.
Josephine was silent and he relentlessly repeated his question.
"No, I--I--love some one else," the girl faltered at last.
His breath came in quick gasps.
"I don't suppose I have the right to know, but is it one of the Gaylorboys you love?"
"No."
"Well, is it anybody I know?"
"Yes, and he's an awful thickhead, but--I--I-love--him just the same."
He turned away in irritation.
"Well, I should think a girl of your intellect would pick out a manwith brains, anyway," he said wrathfully.
"I--I--have, but--at times, he's such a fool."
He turned slowly and looked at her in exasperation. The girl's headhad sunk forward, and he heard her sobbing softly.
"Josephine!"
Quickly he bent over her and raised her face to his as he gathered herin his arms. Her eyes were shining through her tears like beautifulstars, and he saw a light in them that thrilled him. He kissed awaythe tears as she lay quiet and passive in his arms.
"Josephine, you love me?" he whispered in wondering delight.
"Silly boy," she managed to gasp, "I have loved you from the firsttime we met. Now, unhand me, you villain. Here come Ethel and Bud andthey will see us."
"I don't care," he said recklessly, holding her fast. "Anyway, theyare going into the house."
"You received a message from your father about noon time?" she askeddreamily.
"Yes."
"I'll be very much pleased to meet him. I wonder if he will like me?"
"The idea! Of course he will. How can he possibly help liking you?"
"Well Sir Jack, just because you like me, that's no sign everybodyelse will," she said demurely.
"Why, you'll be winding Dad around your little finger in less thanthirty minutes after he gets here, and I'll bet my life on it."
"Say," he added, "do you know that Ethel is crazy about this part ofthe country and doesn't want to go back home with Dad?"
"Don't you know the reason?"
"Reason," he echoed.
"It's Bud," she said simply.
"Bud," he cried in bewilderment. "Do you mean to tell me that Ethel isin love with Bud Anderson?"
"Yes, but I don't see any harm in that, Bud is a fine fellow."
"I know," he said thoughtfully. "Lord, but it will be a shock to Dad.Josephine, I just happened to think of something. Why did you draw thepicture of that butterfly on the envelope Rick sent through to me?"
"I wrote that letter right after Roy's airplane appeared to us, and Iwas going to draw a picture of the airplane, but Ricker stood over meand I didn't dare to. He even wanted to know what the butterfly meant,and I told him that it was a sign between us so you would know theletter was written by me. You see I was trying to let you know that wehad seen Roy's airplane, and I knew you were expecting him out here.We gave up hope of Roy finding you as we thought he was lost in themountains."
"He was lost in the mountains, but he found us all right, and later Iwill tell you all about it," he said, looking fondly at her. "I wassure that butterfly meant something, but couldn't figure it out. Youlittle beauty, when Dad comes I am going to take you to New York andwe will get married there. Would you be willing to leave your homehere, and live with me in New York?"
Roy was returning in his airplane, and right over them he began makingloops and hair raising nose dives, finally going into a tail spin.
Josephine watched him breathlessly until Mason repeated his question.
"I would like very much to live in New York, if I thought I could getalong with your father," she answered naively. "Sir Jack, I want youto make me a promise. Please don't go up in that airplane again. IfRoy wants to risk his neck, I'm sure I don't want you to risk yours."
"All right," he laughed, "I promise, so you see we will get alongfamously."
Josephine smiled contentedly.
"And another thing," she said, eyeing him seriously. "I will want tohave my saddle horse, Fleet, and my dog, Rover, with me if I live inNew York. I never could leave them here and be happy."
"I will have them shipped along with us when we go," he declared, "andI am going to buy you a nice white chummy roadster car when we gethome and you can drive it all by yourself."
"That won't be any fun unless you go with me," she pouted.
"Oh, I will be with you so much that you will be glad to get rid of meonce in a while."
She voiced a quick protest.
"Let's go into the house and tell the people," he cried boyishly.
They went in and Mason directly looked up Josephine's father andreceived his hearty consent to giving his daughter's hand in marriage,but when he told him he intended to take her to New York to live, theold man almost broke down.
In the meantime, Ethel informed her mother and Josephine that she wasengaged to marry Bud Anderson. The two girls planned on a doublewedding in New York, after which Bud was to take his bride back toNevada.
A week later Mason's fat
her arrived, and the first thing his son didwas to take him with his mother and sister into a room, where he toldhim all about the events leading up to Ricker's death, and a generalaccount of all the counterfeiter's plots and the final round-up of theoutlaw gang. He saved the fact about his own and Ethel's comingmarriage until the last, and then he waited patiently for theexplosion he knew would follow. At this latest news, his father lookedblankly first at his wife, then at son and daughter.
"Huh," he snorted, after he had recovered from his surprise. "Thingsmust move pretty rapidly in this part of the country. Wait until I seeTom Walters and have a talk with him. Then I will give you my opinionon the subject."
The banker stalked into the ranch owner's office and the two held aconsultation behind closed doors.
Josephine was working in the kitchen, but she had heard the bankervoice his sentiment. Mason joined her and saw a troubled look in hereyes.
"My, such a bear," she said gravely, "how will I ever get along withhim?"
"That is just Dad's way," he replied earnestly. "Dad was brought up inthe old school, and never does things by halves. Don't worry,sweetheart, I have enough money in my own right, left me by an aunt ofmine. I shall marry you in spite of him, but you will have Dad eatingout of your hand after he sees you."
Josephine could hear her father and the banker chuckling over oldtimes like two schoolboys, and her face brightened as she listened.
"Dad is all right and you will soon get used to his bluff ways," Masoninsisted, leading her into the parlor.
Soon, the two men came out of the office, and Mason immediatelypresented Josephine to his father.
"So this is Josephine," the banker said kindly; "my son has written meoften about you, and I see where I gain a daughter and lose one."
In the afternoon they made up a party and showed the elder Masonaround the ranch grounds, Josephine taking special charge of him.Afterwards, to Mason, Jr., she confided that he was a dear old man.Mason grinned knowingly, and laughed at her for her former fears.
"Why, I will be a regular outlaw between you and Dad when we gethome," he said in mock alarm.
Roy had already left in his airplane for New York, after first seeingthat Mason's car had been packed and shipped. He had promised toattend the double wedding in New York, and that night Josephine andMason made plans for the trip East.
The ranch was to be left in charge of Big Joe as he was the actingforeman in Bud's absence. Josephine and Ethel's parents completed allthe arrangements for leaving the ranch in Big Joe's charge. Thecowboys who were to go East with the party were Scotty, Red, BuckMiller and Tex. Waneda was to go and act as Josephine's bridesmaid,and all looked forward to the event with great eagerness. Bud hadarranged to buy the Ricker ranch where he would live with his brideafter their return from New York.
Three days later it was a merry party that boarded a train for theEast. The cowboys insisted on wearing their cowboy suits, but each hadbrought along extra clothes so they could doll up at the wedding.
When the merry party finally arrived in New York they were whiskedaway from the station in taxicabs to the Mason home on Fifth Avenue.They had arrived in the city at nine P.M. so the cowboys had a chanceto see a little of the city with its wonderful dazzling lights. Thedouble wedding was set for the following night, and after theirarrival at the Mason home, Mason, Jr., retained two of the taxicabsand gave the drivers instructions to drive the cowboys around the cityto any place they wished to go, even if they took all night about it.
Buck Miller had been to New York on several different occasions, andMason pressed a roll of money into his hands.
"This is my treat, boys, and I want you to have a good time," he saidearnestly; "this taxicab firm is reliable, so you don't need to fearany trouble from that source, but for the love of Mike, don't try toshoot the town up."
He then gave the drivers some orders as to their passengers afterwhich they looked the cowboys over with respect and awe.
"Looks like we had a man's sized job on our hands to-night, boss," oneof them said, again looking at the cowboys dubiously.
"Just show the boys around and report to me by telephone if anythingshould happen," he advised them.
Mason was up bright and early the next morning and called up Roy theaviator, on the telephone. Roy was to be his best man at the wedding,and the aviator agreed to come promptly at seven P.M. as the weddingwas set for eight o'clock. Bud was to have Buck Miller act as his bestman, and he was getting decidedly nervous as the cowboys had not shownup.
Josephine was to have Waneda act as her bridesmaid, while Ethel hadarranged to have one of her girl friends act as hers. About nineo'clock in the morning, it was a tired bunch of cowpunchers that cametrooping in, but they declared they had had a grand time, so Masonpacked them off to their rooms to get rested up for the evening.
At six o'clock he called them, and laughed heartily as he watchedtheir desperate efforts to struggle into their Sunday clothes. Roy hadarrived ahead of time and was laughing and joking with Buck Miller wholooked hot and uncomfortable in a new suit.
Percy Vanderpool was there too, and decked out in his usual gorgeousstyle.
The minister having arrived, the double wedding was performed withsimple ceremony. A banquet followed, and Mason made a speech to thecowboys, assuring them he would visit the Bar X ranch the followingsummer. "And I will bring my wife along with me, boys," he wound up.
A hearty cheer went up at this statement, and he told them to wine anddine to their hearts' content. Bud and Ethel were to accompany thecowboys back to Nevada as Bud could spare only ten days away from hisnew ranch.
Mason and Josephine strolled into the library where Mason Senioralways found his favorite retreat.
"Well, Dad," he said, putting his arms around his bride, "I didn'tstay away a whole year, but I made good."
"And now, you want the reward I promised you, huh," his fathergrunted.
"Certainly, and I want a double reward now, because there are two ofus."
"Indeed, you young scoundrel. Well, I intend to make Josephine apresent of a fine house which I bought next door to us. As for you, Iam going to place you under charge of my manager at my steel works,and give you a chance to work your way up to his position."
"That is fine of you, Father," he cried in delight; "what do you thinkof the old bear now, Josephine?"
"He's a dear," she countered softly.
"Well, Dad, you sent me out West to make good and I won an angel. Isthat picture on the wall one you have had enlarged of yourselflately?"
The gruff fellow turned his head to look, and there was a soundsuspiciously like a kiss. When he glanced at them again they werelistening to the cowboys making merry in the banquet hall.
"By, by, Bar X," Josephine murmured, smiling contentedly at her husband.
THE END
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