It took Bill square on the jaw and down he went in a heap, a look of blank surprise on his bearded face. He lay there on the ground for a moment, his hand on his face, his eyes filled with mingled shock and hatred.

“Did you hit me, you young jacksnipe?” he roared.

“What’d it feel like?” queried Ernest with a laugh. “Want me to help you up and give you more of the same?”

The ruffian bounded to his feet and charged like a mad bull, shouting something to his comrade. Selby avoided the savage rush by nimbly side-stepping. A hard left-hand jab stopped Bill cold and a harder right swing knocked him between the wheels of the stage.

“Git the money, Bill,” called the man in the stage. “I’ll take kear of this bobcat.”

Then he leaped out of the vehicle, landing heavily on the Iowan’s back and bearing him to the ground. Whether he thought merely to hold Ernest or to beat him into submission the two women in the stage would never know. For the powerful and active young man rolled over with him, and then quickly breaking loose he sprang to his feet. Bill had just arisen but before he could get set Selby had knocked him down again. By this time the short fellow was upon Ernest once more. There followed a furious fight in which the Iowan found himself extremely busy avoiding the bandit’s long gorilla-like arms.

“Rustle—Bill—and git thet gurl’s—bag!” panted Selby’s assailant. “Driver’s—”

Here Ernest twisted loose and swung from the heels. The robber went spinning down with a crash. The younger man waited for him to get to his feet. But his antagonist appeared momentarily stunned.

“Gimme thet bag!” Ernest heard Bill growl.

Wheeling, he was just in time to see Miss Hepford rise from her seat with a scream, while with both hands she clung to a small bag which the bearded man had got a hand on.

“Let go—you thief!” she cried furiously.

It was at this instant that Selby bethought himself of his newly purchased gun. He jerked it out of his pocket and pointed it at the robber.

“DROP IT!” he yelled.

Before the man had time to turn the gun exploded with a loud bang. If Ernest’s tight squeeze of inexperience had caused the discharge, it also kept it from flying out of his hand. He had not intended to shoot.

“Don’t shoot!” yelled the robber hoarsely, letting go of the girl’s bag and elevating his hands. His bloodshot eyes stared wildly at Ernest.

“Run fer it, Bill,” called the shorter man, struggling to his feet. And without a backward glance he took to his heels, his boots thudding over the baked ground.

By this time Bill had jumped clear of the stage and was heading for the brush beyond the rock. Selby, almost as badly scared as the robber, once more was able to grasp the situation and his opportunity. Whereupon he aimed the gun in the general direction of the two fleeing bandits who were about to reach the cover of a clump of sagebrush, and pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang! The bullets struck up angry puffs of yellow dust. But all they accomplished was to make the robbers run faster. Before Ernest could get in a fourth shot they were out of sight.

At the sound of firing, the stage driver came running out of the havern accompanied by a heavy-booted man. A woman appeared in the doorway. Down the street people could be seen hurriedly getting out of sight.

“Whut’s all the shooting?” demanded the driver, approaching Selby, whose gun was still smoking.

“Those two men tried to rob me,” declared Miss Hepford angrily, and she extended the bag as if in evidence.

“They’d ’a’ got her bag, too, but for this quick-thinking cowboy,” corroborated the older woman.

“Wal, I’ll be dinged!” ejaculated the man who had run out with the driver.

Ernest put the gun back in his pocket and kept his hand there, so that they would not see it trembling. Otherwise he managed to face them with simulated nonchalance.

“Doggone it! I shore wasn’t fooled much by them fellers,” exclaimed the stage driver. “Never paid me no fare!”

Miss Hepford sat down composedly, though she appeared a trifle pale. The green eyes, magnificent now, were fixed curiously upon the young man in the brand new cowboy outfit.

“Thanks, cowboy,” she said constrainedly.