There was a surprised exclamation out of the darkness, and the sound of a man vaulting from the saddle. The next moment and he had clasped his daughter in his arms.
Larkin, his mission completed, started to back away from the scene, but the girl herself wrecked this intention.
“It was Mr. Larkin who called out,” she said, evidently in answer to a question. “He saved my life, father, and he has brought me safely back. He is standing right over there.”
At this Bud turned and ran, but the sound of a pony closing in on him brought him to a stop.
“Well, what do you want?” he demanded angrily.
“Bissell wants to see you,” said the rider whose voice the sheepman recognized as that of Stelton.
Not deigning to enter an argument with the foreman, Bud walked back to where Bissell stood beside his horse.
“Now the sheep are out of the way, if you want to learn anything about rustlers I guess our friend 123 here can tell you,” remarked Stelton suddenly, in a voice exultant as it was ugly.
“Oh, yes, father,” added Juliet, “he’s been with them for almost two days.”
“Is this so, Mr. Larkin?” asked Bissell.