Thinking quickly, Nancy jumped aside and toppled the tower of baskets into the thief's path.  With a cry he stumbled among them and pitched forward, the bag of loot flying from his hand.

"Help!" shouted Nancy as she ran into the street and picked up the paper bag.  "Sheriff!"

The man scrambled to his feet, and kicking the baskets aside, darted into a narrow passage between two stores.

At the same time, a young Indian girl and a man ran from the coffee shop next door.

"What happened?" cried the girl.  "I'm Mary Deer."  Quickly Nancy told her about the thief.  "My shop - robbed!" she exclaimed.

"Almost robbed," said Nancy, smiling and handing over the brown paper bag.  As the girl thanked her warmly, George, Dave, Sheriff Curtis, and a few merchants ran up.  Nancy repeated her story rapidly and described the thief.  "He wore a black kerchief over his nose and mouth, was in shirt sleeves, and had on dark trousers."

As the men dashed into the passage where he had vanished, Nancy turned to the Indian girl.  She was wearing a vivid red beaded dress and had a glossy black braid over each shoulder.  Nancy introduced herself and George.

Gratefully Mary Deer said, "You were wonderful to get this back for me, Nancy.  I would like to give you a reward."

"That's not necessary.  I'm glad I could help."

Mary Deer invited the girls into the shop, which was cool and smelled of leather goods.  To one side stood a long glass case containing shelves of jewelry.  One front panel was open and a shelf was empty.

"There's no lock on the case," Mary explained.  "I guess I shouldn't have left the shop open, but I never expect customers this early."  Then she added, "Where are you from?  You don't sound like a Westerner."

Nancy explained that she was a visitor at Shadow Ranch.

The Indian girl smiled.  "Then I have the perfect reward for you."  She reached into the paper bag and took out a small gold object.  It was a lady's old-fashioned watch on a fleur-de-lis pin.