Sanderson returned to the Double A and found Mary in the house.

“No go,” he informed her.  “Maison an’ Silverthorn an’ Dale have anticipated that move.  We don’t sell any cattle in Okar.”

The girl’s disappointment was deep.

“I suppose we may as well give up,” she said.

Sanderson lifted her face to his.

“If you’re goin’ to talk that way I ain’t goin’ to love you like I thought I was,” he grinned.  “An’ I’m sure wantin’ to.”

“I don’t want to give up,” she said.

“Meanin’?”

“Meaning that I’d like to have you beat those men.  Oh, the miserable schemers!  They will go to any length to defeat you.”

He laughed lowly and vibrantly.  “Well, they’ll certainly have to travel some,” he said.  “About as fast as the man will have to travel that takes you away from me.”

“Is victory that dear to you?” she asked.

“I won’t take one without the other,” he told her his eyes glowing.  “If I don’t beat Silverthorn and the others, an’ keep the Double A for you, why I——­”

“You’ll win!” she said.

“You are hopin’ I will?” he grinned.  “Well,” he added, as she averted her eyes, “there’ll come a time when we’ll talk real serious about that.  I’m goin’ to tell the range boss to get ready for a drive to Las Vegas.”

“That is a hundred and seventy-five miles!” gasped the girl.

“I’ve followed a trail herd two thousand,” grinned Sanderson.

“You mean that you will go yourself—­with the outfit?”

“Sure.”

Sanderson went out, mounted Streak, and found the range boss—­Eli Carter.  Carter and the men were ordered to round up all the Double A cattle and get ready to drive them to Las Vegas.  Sanderson told Carter he would accompany the outfit.

Cutting across the basin toward the ranchhouse, he saw another horseman riding fast to intercept him, and he swerved Streak and headed toward the other.

The rider was Williams, and when Sanderson got close enough to see his face he noted that the engineer was pale and excited.

CHAPTER XVIII

CHECKED BY THE SYSTEM

The engineer waved a yellow paper at Sanderson and shouted: 

“I just got this.  I made a hit with the Okar agent last week, and he sent a man over with it.  That’s a damned scoundrelly bunch that’s working against you!  Do you know what they’ve done?”

Sanderson said nothing, and the engineer resumed, explosively: 

“They’ve tied up your money at the Lazette bank!  My material men won’t send a pound of stuff to me until they get the cash!  We’re stopped—­dead still!”

He passed a telegram to Sanderson, who read: 

Bank here refuses to honor Sanderson’s check.  Claim money belongs to
Bransford estate.  Legal tangle.  Must have cash or won’t send material.