At the earliest dawn the stockmen could be so placed that, as the commander believed, nearly if not quite all of the law-breakers would be corralled.
Accordingly, a halt was made while yet a considerable way off, and Budd Hankinson went forward on foot to reconnoitre.

Upon his report must depend the action of the stockmen.
The fellow was gone more than three-quarters of an hour, and when he came back he brought astounding news.
Not a solitary rustler was to be found anywhere near the ranch.
Hardly able to credit the fact, Budd picked his way to the building, knocked, and was admitted.

There the amazing truth was made known.
Capt.

Ira Inman and all his men had been gone for an hour, and were probably miles distant at that moment.
The detention of Duke Vesey as a hostage for the safety of Monteith Sterry proved the key to the whole situation.

When Inman learned how he had been outwitted he was enraged to the point of ordering an attack at once, with the resolve to give mercy to no one.