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260 American ranch in such force. If they were after Quong, they would do what they had come to do by stealth. One man would be better than a dozen. From what I knew, and had read, of tong fights, I fancied they would not attempt open methods in this instance.

"Thora and I argued out why they should have arrived in such force, and the idea came to me that in some way they had heard of the gold cached in the canyon. I could not be sure, but I determined that I would ride to the Circle S and warn Stoney, at least. Then we could come here to make sure you were safe.

"We galloped nearly all of the way to Pioche Gap and through it. The trail of the tires was plain. One of them had a diamond-studded tire on one rear wheel, nearly new, and markings on the other rear wheel that left a series of V's.

"When we got through the gap the two machines left the road and turned west again along the range. They were heading for the Painted Rocks. Pedro was guiding them here. They would take you unawares. It was plain enough, though by this time it was so dark we could barely make out those tracks.

"Both our horses were tired. Thora's was winded. I began to despair of the time it would take them to get to the Circle S, and I knew they would never last to carry us to the Painted Rocks. It would take a frightful time for even the riders to make the desert trip and I knew the machines could plough through at a steady gait. We were about two miles out of Metzal.