“Why, it’s Waneda the Spanish girl,” Mason cried in astonishment.
“What brings you here at this time of night?” Josephine asked of her distrustfully.
Waneda timidly placed a note in her hand.
“I was sent here and the note is for Mr. Mason,” she answered simply, in her rich mellow voice.
“What! another decoy note?” Josephine queried suspiciously, handing the note to Mason.
He took the note inside to the light, and after reading its contents his face showed perplexity.
“It is signed by MacNutt and he wants me to use my influence to have you agree to let Waneda stay here at the ranch. He says it is important that the girl should stay here for a few weeks, and he will vouch for her honesty. I think myself, it will be all right, but you can use your own judgment,” Mason explained, addressing Josephine.
“It is all very queer, but I want to do what is right,” she answered, smiling a little anxiously at Mason. “Certainly, Waneda can stay here, and we will hear her story in the morning.”
CHAPTER XI—RICKER’S WARNING
Mason was up at sunrise the next morning and set out at once for the bunk-house. He had determined to have another talk with MacNutt and have the man clear up a suspicion that was beginning to take shape in his mind. He had been convinced all along that things were not right at the Ricker ranch, and Waneda’s late and unexpected arrival the night before had clouded his mind with mystery. MacNutt’s strange actions in the last few days and his sister’s startling revelations concerning his father had him sorely troubled. In this state of mind he approached the bunk-house and found the cowboys forming in line under Bud Anderson’s leadership. They made a fine spectacle as they sat mounted and at attention while Bud was tolling off the ones that were to ride the range this day, and the more fortunate ones that were to remain to entertain the visitors. Mason’s sharp glance failed to make out MacNutt among the riders.