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And sure enough they were coming, and as they came their carbines popped and

the bullets whizzed about the heads of the two Americans. Grayson, too, had

taken a hand upon the side of the Villistas. From the bunkhouse other men were

running rapidly in the direction of the fight, attracted by the first shots.

Billy and Eddie stood their ground, a few paces apart. Two more of Villa's men

went down. Grayson ran for cover. Then Billy Byrne dropped the last of the

Mexicans just as the men from the bunkhouse came panting upon the scene.

There were both Americans and Mexicans among them. All were armed and

weapons were ready in their hands.

They paused a short distance from the two men. Eddie's presence upon the side

of the stranger saved Billy from instant death, for Eddie was well liked by both

his Mexican and American fellow-workers.

What's the fuss?" asked an American.

Eddie told them, and when they learned that the boss's daughter had been

spirited away and that the ranch foreman was at the bottom of it the anger of the

Americans rose to a dangerous pitch.

Where is he?" someone asked. They were gathered in a little cluster now about

Billy Byrne and Shorter.

I saw him duck behind the office building," said Eddie.

Come on," said another. "We'll get him."

Someone get a rope." The men spoke in low, ordinary tones--they appeared

unexcited. Determination was the most apparent characteristic of the group. One

of them ran back toward the bunkhouse for his rope. The others walked slowly in

the direction of the rear of the office building. Grayson was not there. The search

proceeded. The Americans were in advance. The Mexicans kept in a group by

themselves a little in rear of the others--it was not their trouble. If the gringos

wanted to lynch another gringo, well and good--that was the gringos' business.

They would keep out of it, and they did.

Down past the bunkhouse and the cookhouse to the stables the searchers made

their way. Grayson could not be found. In the stables one of the men made a

discovery--the foreman's saddle had vanished. Out in the corrals they went. One

of the men laughed--the bars were down and the saddle horses gone. Eddie

Shorter presently pointed out across the pasture and the river to the skyline of

the low bluffs beyond. The others looked. A horseman was just visible urging his

275

The Mucker