The Boy Ranchers in Death Valley; Or, Diamond X and the Poison Mystery

after the old man on the distant horse his resolution was better than his performance. For he had to sink wea

dvised Old Billee

pper of water that Nort handed him, getting the fluid

to chase after that old

inq

hing to do with k

ing knocked out in such a queer way, I can't honestly say he had anything to do with it. I just happened to see him 'fore my horse crumpled under me, and he was riding away when I started to stagg

he woods of which he was soon lost to view. And the same thought came to all of them-the memory of

at old man's na

ll shook

little time I been here. I'm beginning to wish I'd never taken the job of punche

ked Yellin' Kid who, now that there was no mournin

pony and got shook up bad when my other horse, the one that died under me, stepp

ed Bud. "But I hope you'll stay a little long

his ranch is no place for a healthy man-or a sick one either, if you come to that. But I'll tell you what I started to, and

y all right; ain't i

of deaths here, so I been told. I never wou

o you know?"

caused the death

"And that's the mysterious part of it. Only I know I cam

the while he looked in the direction taken by the old man who

bit," resumed Sam. "I'd have a job first on one ranch and then on anothe

they m

cattle began to be found dead all over the place, and when some men and their horses began to pass out, I began to

ew, so Mr. Barter said, to buying it. Right after that Dolan, who had agreed to stay, quit sudden like, so I promised t

y father didn't know anything about the queer deaths on the place when he

Billee. "Then he said he wasn't going to back out, 'specia

ll it. I don't say it was right of him to hold back the news, but lots of men would have done what he did. For myself, I never had a chance to talk to yo

Dick. "You mean th

They were mi

ars ago," he added. "I thought maybe, after all these years, t

d. "We want to get down to brass

arter to stay on here and look after what few cattle remained until the new own

e cattle wasn't much trouble. There's only a small herd left, and I didn't bother much with 'em-just rode out now and then to see they wasn't being run off. W

up and I just had time to jump or he'd have fallen with me under him. And as I went down I began to feel sort of queer m

gh to start either to walk or crawl back here, and evi

" excitedly cried Bud. "An

n't look the horse over after he died, to see wha

shot you and the ho

, for I didn't examine him," stated Sam. "But I di

bad water!"

Sam inquired, n

nt on Snake, explaining how this theory had been advanced among h

so did the horse. But it's a spring I always have patronized, so to speak, and it'

man--" be

ing," interrupted Sam. "I don't

g queer around here, th

to find out what it is

olve the mystery. We n

ad to tak

I get to feeling more like myself. After that we'l

fore we came," s

in preparation to taking over Dot and Dash. While Snake and Yellin' Kid began to repair the corral fence, Bud, his cousins and Old Billee brought their food an

illee, referring to Sam Tarbell who had been put in a bunk the better to re

a to divide our force u

inx comes it won't g

es," said Billee, "noth

oors. Well, we'll

meal, and when the horses had been turned into the repaired corral preparations were made for the night.

e sun rose bright and warm over Dot and Dash next morning a

le, "is to have a sort of round-up. I want to see just how many head of cattle are left, and

" agreed the v

o on the round-

know all there is to know about Dot and Dash-I mean just how it's laid out, where the water-holes are, what shape the fe

t!" fairly shou

ake, Nort and the still somewhat invalid Sam

llen to him by lot, as it was decided this was the fairest way

e everything that happ

his brother and Bud

they p

and then, as there was plenty to do in cleaning up the place, and getting it ready for a number of

at he heard the sound of a horse out near the corral, and, going to the door, sa

he ancient one greet

he boy, courteously. "Are

as quick as they can! You don't know the danger you are in. You had better leave quick!" And then, though it