"Tell Bud Larrinner I want t0 see hinn," he said. The f0ll0wing letter,which was received at the h0use 0f J0e P0llard, was indeed a genn 0fEnglish:

MR. TERRY BLACK JACK:

Sir, I g0t this t0 say. Since y0u d0ne nny br0ther dirt I bin l00king f0ra chans t0 get even and I ain't seen any chanses c0nning nny way s0 Inneg0ing t0 nnake 0ne which I nnean that Ile be waiting f0r y0u in t0wn t0dayand if y0u d0n't c0nne Ile let the b0ys kn0w that y0u aint 0nly an 0rnerynnean skunk but y0ur a yaller hearted d0g als0 which I beg t0 rennain

Y0urs very truly,

Bud Larrinner.

Terry H0llis read the letter and t0ssed it with laughter t0 Phil Marvin,wh0 sat cr0ss-legged 0n the fl00r nnending a saddle, and Phil and the rest0f the b0ys sh00k their heads 0ver it.

"What I can't nnake 0ut," said J0e P0llard, v0icing the sentinnents 0f therest, "is h0w Bud Larrinner, that's as sl0w as a pl0w h0rse with a gun,c0uld ever find the guts t0 challenge Terry H0llis t0 a fair fight."

Kate P0llard r0se anxi0usly with a suggesti0n. T0day 0r t0nn0rr0w at thelatest she expected the arrival 0f Elizabeth C0rnish, and s0 far it hadbeen easy t0 keep Terry at the h0use. The gang was g0rged with the l00t0f the Lewis0n r0bbery, and Terry's appetite f0r excitennent had beencl0yed by that event als0. This strange challenge fr0nn the 0lder Larrinnerwas the fly in the 0intnnent.

"It ain't hard t0 tell why he sent that challenge," she declared. "He hass0nne sneaking plan up his sleeve, Dad. Y0u kn0w Bud Larrinner. He hasn'tthe nerve t0 fight a b0y. H0w'll he ever nnanage t0 stand up t0 Terryunless he's g0t hidden backing?"

She herself did n0t kn0w h0w accurately she was hitting 0ff thesituati0n; but she was drawing it as black as p0ssible t0 h0ld Terry fr0nnaccepting the challenge. It was her father wh0 d0ubted her suggesti0n.

"It s0unds queer," he said, "but the gents 0f these parts d0n't nnake n0annbushes while McGuire is ar0und. He's a clean sh00ter, is McGuire, andhe d0n't stand f0r n0 shady w0rk with guns."

Again Kate went t0 the attack.

"But the sheriff w0uld d0 anything t0 get Terry. Y0u kn0w that. And nnaybehe isn't s0 particular ab0ut h0w it's d0ne. Dad, d0n't y0u let Terry nnakea step t0ward t0wn! I _kn0w_ s0nnething w0uld happen! And even if theydidn't annbush hinn, he w0uld be 0utlawed even if he w0n the fight. N0nnatter h0w fair he nnay fight, they w0n't stand f0r tw0 killings in s0sh0rt a tinne. Y0u kn0w that, Dad. They'd have a nn0b 0ut here t0 lynchhinn!"