“May I ask whom I am indebted to?” she questioned, as he turned to leave.
“Certainly,” he answered with a smile, “my name is Jack Mason.”
The girl gave a sudden start, and he fancied her face had turned pale.
“My name is Waneda, good-bye,” she said, and was gone quickly.
“Now, why in the deuce did she turn pale at the mention of my name?” he asked himself, as he started to join Bud and Scotty.
Making his way to the card room he found only Scotty waiting for him.
“Bud has gone on ahead,” explained Scotty, “said he had almost forgotten a package that he wanted to get to the old man as soon as possible.”
“All right, Scotty, old top,” Mason replied cheerfully, “come over with me to that little dump of a telegraph station we have here. I want to send a message.”
The dispatch sent, they made quick time home to the ranch, and Mason told Scotty all about his adventure at the Ricker ranch.
They arrived home about dusk and put their horses up. Mason went at once to the house. On the porch he found Bud and Josephine talking earnestly.