He leaned over from the saddle and extended his hand. As Hawkridge took it he felt something in his palm.

"Larch Cadmus! Why, Fred, he has visited our house several times; he was here last week."

Hark! A familiar sound reached her. She recognized it as made by skates gliding over the ice. Rising to her feet, she remarked, with a smile:

"But," he replied in a low voice, "before I go back I want to make sure that you will do the same. There, good-by again."

They stationed themselves at the front and rear doors and windows with loaded weapons, on the alert to wing the first rustler who showed himself.