Mason of Bar X Ranch. Bennett Henry Holcomb

      Once more her words threw the man into a furious passion.

      “I’m going to lay for him and that upstart Mason, and I’ll get them both,” he ground out the words with an oath. “And as for you, my proud beauty, I am going to make you my wife, or mistress, just as you choose.”

      “Are you mad?” Josephine gasped in terror, shrinking away from him.

      Powers had turned his back to her and was talking in a low voice to the Mexican. Josephine shivered. It was getting dark and had started to rain hard. Her heart sank lower as she realized she was completely in the power of these outlaws.

      “Oh, if some of the cowboys would only show up,” she wailed to herself.

      After a short consultation between the two men, the halfbreed left on some mission.

      “Pull yourself together,” Powers ordered her roughly. “The halfbreed has gone for our horses just over the knoll, and we will be a good many miles from here by morning.”

      “You mean that he has gone to get my horse,” Josephine flared up at him indignantly. Powers chuckled maliciously.

      “The Mexican wouldn’t trade your horse, Fleet, for any horse in the country,” he said shortly.