Part 58 (1/2)

Billy Byrne stepped out into the open The ranch foreman called aloud to the four Mexicans that their prisoner was at the ranchhouse and as they looked in that direction they saw hi slowly toward them There was a smile upon his lips which they could not see because of the distance, and which, not knowing Billy Byrne, they would not have interpreted correctly; but the revolver they did understand, and at sight of it one of theer, however, never closed upon the trigger, for there came the sound of a shot froered forward, pitching over the edge of the porch to the ground

Billy turned his head in the direction fro toward hiht hand

”Go back,” commanded Byrne; ”this is my funeral”

”Not on your life,” replied Eddie Shorter ”Those greasers don't take no white man off'n El Orobo, while I'h they were co, 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 Fro 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 theupon the scene There were both A them All were armed and weapons were ready in their hands

They paused a short distance froer saved Billy from instant death, for Eddie ell liked by both his Mexican and American felloorkers

”What's the fuss?” asked an American

Eddie told thehter had been spirited away and that the ranch foreer of the Aerous pitch

”Where is he?” soathered in a little cluster now about Billy Byrne and Shorter

”I saw hi,” said Eddie

”Coet a rope” The men spoke in low, ordinary tones--they appeared unexcited Deterroup 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 Aroup 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 one Eddie Shorter presently pointed out across the pasture and the river to the skyline of the low bluffs beyond The others looked A horse his ainst thesky pink with the new sun

”That's hio,” said Billy Byrne ”He won't never coot Miss Barbara to look after My horse is down there with yours I'et him Will you come, Shorter? I may need help--I ain'tfor a reply, and all the Aether they circled the horses and drove them back to the corral When Billy had saddled and mounted he saw that the others had done likewise

”We're goin' with you,” said one of the s to us”

Billy nodded and moved off in the direction of the ranchhouse Here he dis co the house in search of some manner of clue to the direction taken by the abductors It was not long before they caht before From there the trail led plainly doard the river In ahad supplied Billy Byrne with a carbine, another six-shooter, and ah the river and the cut in the barbed-wire fence, then up the face of the bluff and out across the low mesa beyond the trail led For a h the riders had separated

”Well,” said Billy, as the others drew around hioin' to the hills there They was Piot her up there in the hills somewheres Let's split up an'

search the hills for her Whoever comes on 'em first'll have to do soo in pairs--then if one's killed the other can ride out an' lead the way back to where it happened”

The men seemed satisfied with the plan and broke up into parties of two

Eddie Shorter paired off with Billy Byrne

”Spread out,” said the latter to his coht ahead--the rest of you can fan out a few ood luck,” and he started off toward the hills, Eddie Shorter at his side

Back at the ranch the Mexican vaqueros lounged about, gru to do except talk about their troubles They had not been paid since the looting of the bank at Cuivaca, for Mr