coin!”

“Oh, I reckoned you meant ten cents fare,” replied Ernest guilelessly, and produced his wallet, out of which he guardedly extracted a greenback.

“Ahuh,” grunted the driver, taking the money. “You can have the back seat. Stow your bags under.”

Ernest leisurely did as he was bidden, after which he settled back to enjoy the situation. The seat in front was empty, and the one next to it contained the two hard-looking fellows whose plans he had overheard.

Presently, on the sidewalk, he caught sight of the girl with the red hair he had so unceremoniously encountered twice before that morning. She had come out of the hotel with a middle-aged woman, and a cowboy much burdened with bags and bundles. As they reached the stage Ernest averted his face, notwithstanding the fact that he would have liked to see hers when she recognized him.

“Good-by, Jeff, and thanks for everything,” the girl was saying

“Shore sorry I didn’t know sooner you was in town an’ sorrier you’re goin’,” replied the cowboy, in a likable drawl. “But shore you’ll be in fer the Fourth.”

“I’m afraid not, Jeff,” she replied regretfully.

“Aw, you’re missin’ the dance!”

“Reckon I’ll miss more than that. If it hadn’t been for some particular business of Dad’s, I’d not have got to town this time … Fact is, Jeff, we’re awfully upset out at Red Rock Ranch these days.”

“You don’t say, Anne! An’ what aboot?”

“Well, I suppose I may as well tell all my friends,” said the girl resignedly. She lowered her voice, but her words, nevertheless, fell distinctly on Ernest’s ears. “You know we don’t really own Red Rock, though it always seemed as though we did. Dad only runs the ranch for that old skinflint Selby. And now it appears Selby died. We never heard about it until a letter came from his lawyer. That letter acquainted us with the fact that we must expect someone to arrive in Arizona, sooner or later, to take charge of the ranch.”

“Doggone! Thet’s shore tough,” ejaculated the cowboy. “Who’d old Selby leave Red Rock to?”

“The lawyer didn’t say. I suppose to a tenderfoot son or nephew. But Dad thinks not. Selby had a middle-aged brother,” replied the girl bitterly.

“Wal, I’d stand to be a lot myself to get thet ranch left to me,” rejoined Jeff, with a mellow laugh. “Cheer up, Miss Anne. Reckon things will go on aboot the same. This heah man won’t show up, an’ if he does you can marry him. Ha! Ha!” The cowboy roared with laughter.

The ladies joined in the laugh. “That’s what Mrs. Jones advised,” continued the girl presently. “But it’s not funny. Catch me marrying some white-necked tenderfoot, or some bald-headed Easterner, even to save Red Rock.”

“Shore, thet’s lucky for one of us cowboys,” said Jeff, fervently. “Wal, adios. Hope after all you get in for the Fourth. An’ say, give my love to your little cousin, Daisy Brooks.”

“Catch me, Jeff Martin!” she retorted. “You cowboys! ...