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The two men dashed up onto the veranda of the ranchhouse and pounded at the door until a Chinaly

"Is Miss Harding here?" demanded Billy

"Mlissy Hardie Kleep," snapped the servant "Wally wanee here flo blekfas?", and would have shut the door in their faces had not Billy intruded a heavy boot The next instant he placed a large palm over the celestial's face and pushed the 's naentleman a mo-rooad man, is that you? Is this really Billy Byrne?"

"Sure," replied Byrne shortly; "but we can't waste any tioin' to be swiped last night--I heard that she had been Now hurry and see if she is here"

Anthony Harding turned and leaped up the narrow stairway to the second floor four steps at a tione upstairs in that fashion in forty years Without even pausing to rap he burst into his daughter's bedroom It was empty The bed was unruffled It had not been slept in With a moan the man turned back and ran hastily to the other rooms upon the second floor--Barbara was nowhere to be found Then he hastened downstairs to the twohim

As he entered the rooh the doorway leading out upon the veranda Billy Byrne had heard footsteps upon the boards without and he was ready, so that as Grayson entered he found hiht at the business end of a sixshooter The fore in surprise first at Billy Byrne, and then at Eddie Shorter and Mr Harding

"What does thisEddie "What you doin' here with your prisoner? Who told you to let him out, eh?"

"Can the chatter," growled Billy Byrne "Shorter didn't let o, and I've just co is, you low-lived cur, you Where is she?"

"What has Mr Grayson to do with it?" asked Mr Harding "How should he know anything about it? It's all a mystery toabout you as the prisoner I can't h, Byrne, tell me all you know about Barbara"