Motionless in his saddle, save for an occasional restless stamp of his horse, Bud Jessup waited patiently in front of the adobe shack at Las Vegas camp. His face was serious and thoughtful, and his glance was fixed on the open door through which came the broken, indistinguishable murmur of Buck Stratton's voice. Once, thinking he heard an unusual sound, the youngster turned his head alertly and stared westward through the shadows. But a moment later his eyes flashed back to that narrow, black oblong, and he resumed his uneasy pondering as to what Buck might possibly be finding out.
Suddenly he gave a start as Stratton's voice, harsh, startled, came to him distinctly.
"Mary! Mary! Why don't you answer? What's happened?"
The words were punctuated by a continuous rattle, and ended abruptly with the clatter of metal against metal.
"Hell!" rasped Buck, in a hoarse, furious voice with an undercurrent of keen apprehension that made Bud's nerves tingle. "The wire's been cut!"
An instant later he appeared, running. Snatching the reins, he gained the saddle in a single bound, jerked his horse around, and was off across the pasture.
"Come on!" he shouted back over one shoulder. "There's trouble at the ranch."
Bud dug spurs into his cayuse and followed, but it was some minutes before he managed to catch up with his friend.
"What is it?" he cried anxiously. "What's wrong? Have the Mannings--"
"They've gone, as I thought," snapped Stratton. "The two women are alone. But that isn't the worst." A sudden spasm of uncontrolled fury rose in his throat and choked him momentarily. "There's some one hidden in the loft over the harness-room," he managed to finish hoarsely.
Bud stared at him in dismay. "Who the devil--"
"I don't know. She just got a glimpse of a--a face in the window while she was closing up the kitchen."
"I don't know," retorted Buck through his clenched teeth. "What difference does it make, anyhow? Some one hid there for a--a purpose. By God! What fools we were not to make a search!"
"It seemed so darn sure they'd all beat it," faltered Bud. "Besides, I don't guess any of us would of thought to look in that loft."
"Maybe not. It doesn't matter. We didn't." Stratton's voice was brittle. "But if anything happens--"