PRINTED IN THE U. S. A.

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE
I[A Rolling Stone]1
II[Bit by Bit]6
III[An Objection]25
IV[With His Shadow Before Him]38
V[A Lesson in Medical Ethics]54
VI[Information Wanted]59
VII[Hunting With the Hounds]70
VIII[A Man's a Man]85
IX[Rolling Faster]99
X[Freight for Highbank]107
XI["The Tinkling of the Camel's Bell"]130
XII["Coming Events——"]148
XIII[Highbank Makes a Discovery]164
XIV[Enough Is Sufficient]173
XV[A Diplomatic Mission]182
XVI[A Neighborly Call]207
XVII[News All Around]217
XVIII[Whom the Gods Would Destroy]231
XIX["Give Eternal Rest——"]251
XX[XX Plans and Preparations]261
XXI[The Message]279
XXII[XXII The Ultimatum]293
XXIII[Range Activities]307
XXIV[On the Trail]326
XXV[Still a-Rollin']326

JOHNNY NELSON

CHAPTER I

A ROLLING STONE

The horse stopped suddenly and her rider came to his senses with a jerk, his hand streaking to a six-gun, while he muttered a profane inquiry at he swiftly scrutinized his surroundings. Had it been any horse but Pepper he would have directed his suspicions at it, but he knew the animal too well to do it that injustice. The valley before and below him was heavily grassed, and throughout its entire length wandered a small stream. Grazing cattle were scattered along it, and riding up the farther slope were three men, who appeared to be peaceful and innocent of wrong intent. These his eyes swept past, and they passed a small cluster of bowlders down on the slope below him, but instantly returned to them, a puzzled look appearing upon his face. In that nest of rocks a woman lay prone, peering at the distant horsemen, and she slowly brought a rifle to her shoulder, cuddling its stock against her cheek. What he did not see, and could not, at that angle, was the menacing head of a rattlesnake not twenty feet from her, the instinctive fear of which put a chill in her heart and urged her to shoot it, even at the risk of being heard by the men she was watching. Johnny Nelson unconsciously estimated the range and shook his head. He could do it with his Sharp's single-shot, a rifle of great power; but he had yet to see any repeater that could. Knowing the futility of a shot, he coughed loudly, and had the satisfaction of seeing a flurry below him, and a rifle muzzle at the same instant. Slowly he raised his hands level with his shoulders, spoke to the horse and, mustering all the dignity possible under the circumstances, rode slowly down the slope.