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

sh in a pall, and following the talk that had been going on the last few days concerning the sinis

man?" ga

" Nort want

him?" was Di

ust stood in the middle of the deserted living room of the ranch house and stared at the old punch

t lowering his voice as he might reasonably be expected to do u

out there by the corral, and here's another thing. If we're going to turn our ponies loose

ed Snake. "Let's go have a look at thi

ame," said Nort to Bud as he and the other lads fol

death, and somebody that has no connection with this ranch. Lots of

doesn't say what kill

d out," went on

the fence of which was much in need of repairs. The man was a typical cowboy, with a bright red neckerchief and sheepskin chaps. His gun had fallen from the holster and lay be

said Billee i

e proximity to death, hurried forward and knelt beside the motionless figure. Seeing what their chum had done, Nort

d at all! He'

?" cri

ught to have a doctor, but maybe we can pull him aro

stranger. Nort helped Bud, on the opposite side, support the man's head, which appeared to be but loosely a

d a faint flickering of the man's eyelids, as though life was stru

," said Dick. "Your mother put it in with a lo

y bad!" exclaimed Bud.

ter, was being administered to the stranger, and when the fumes of

with his two older companions, had drawn

call the turn on him

is life at least l

ike him to pull through. Maybe he can

es of the ranch and the valley in which it was so snugly located. "This seems to be a right proper place to raise cattle. I only wish

uintin' at a toad how much wool there is on him, and you can'

ranger. He was able to sit up now, without being supported by Bud and his cousins. And as he s

ou and wha

t of your question but not the last. All we know is we arrived here to find you-er-stretched out like you was

d X-and we're sent here to take charge of Dot an

mewhat unexpected answer. "In fact I was

t a stranger he

e quit, and sold out, so he told me. He asked me to stay here and turn the place over

said Bud, reaching for t

it, my boy. And now that you're in charge I'

wayed unsteadily for a moment and then staggered to a bench

nip of whatever that was

and it brought a tinge of color to the t

t now," he went on. "Ha

he's dead

en to the bunch of tethered animals the o

d? We have heard strange stories about this ranch and don't know

or dead; didn't yo

he opening Billee had n

ught you had

dead, I'm sure of that. And how I managed to drag myself here after he collapsed under me is more than I know. But I did, ho

" said Bud. "It's

ttle my mother used when she got faint. However, I'm much obliged. An

ailor would be without a ship, and he

"we can't let you go this way. In the first place you're not fit to travel on, and, in the second p

nough. "And thanks for the loan of a horse. As for staying

ed?" asked D

I nearly passed out on account of some devi

way," said Old Billee. "In the

ll," was t

ash came to them the memory of the warning paper, signed with

' Kid thought of this coinciden

feller of that name once. Only he was Bill Tarbell. I

ll shook

en acting as foreman for Mr. Barter a few days back, and when he s

unchers?" asked Snake. "Takes more'n a foreman, which you say y

olan, lit out and that left me. Dolan was foreman, like you s

wing his glance, saw riding along an old man on a somewhat ancient steed. He was an old

the old