Not suspecting a ruse Josephine turned and looked over her shoulder, her weapon half lowered. Too late she saw her mistake as she heard a hiss above her.
A lariat thrown by the skillful hand of the halfbreed had settled about her waist, pinning her arms helplessly to her side.
The girl realized with a sinking heart that the halfbreed had been hiding in the tree all the time, and along with Powers he had watched her movements from the start.
She struggled desperately to free herself, but the tough lariat only cut deeper into her arms.
Powers watched her frantic efforts with a gloating smile.
“We could have captured you long ago,” he said with his sneering laugh, as the halfbreed slid down out of the tree at his feet. “Only we wanted to hear which you had to say about that gang of fools that are trailing the halfbreed.”
The Mexican leered at her.
“I fool them quick,” he boasted.
Josephine gave him a look of contempt.
“What did you want to capture me for?” she asked, looking Powers straight in the eye. “Bud Anderson will kill you both if you harm me.”