A bunch of horses! Jean's body gave a slight start--the shock of sudden propulsion of blood through all his veins.

Those horses bore riders.
They were coming straight down the open valley, on the wagon road to Isbel's ranch.

No subterfuge nor secrecy nor sneaking in that advance! A hot thrill ran over Jean.
"By Heaven! They mean business!" he muttered.

Up to the last moment he had unconsciously hoped Jorth's gang would not come boldly like that.

The verifications of all a Texan's inherited instincts left no doubts, no hopes, no illusions--only a grim certainty that this was not conjecture nor probability, but fact.