ular ranchmen on the river. There would be an instant, widespread
demand for the arrest and conviction of his slayer. Billie had taken an
oath to uphold the law. His clear duty was to go out and capture Jim
alive or dead.

Not for a moment did Billie doubt what he would do. He had pledged
himself to blot out the "bad man," and he would go through no matter what
the cost to his personal feelings.

A slow anger at Clanton burned in him. Why had he done this wanton and
lawless thing? The boy he had known three years ago would never have shot
down from cover a man like Webb. That he could have done it now marked
the progress of the deterioration of his moral fiber. What right had he
to ask those who remained loyal to him to sacrifice so often their sense
of right in his favor?

The old intimacy between Billie and Jim had long since waned. They were
traveling different roads these days. But though they were no longer
chums their friendship endured. When they met, a warm affection lit the
eyes of both. It had survived the tug of diverse interests, the
intervention of long separations, the conflict born of the love of women.
Would it stand without breaking this new test of its strength?

With a little nod to Goodheart the sheriff retired from the camp-fire.
His deputy joined him presently on a hillside overlooking the creek.

"I'm goin' back to Live-Oaks to-night, Jack," announced Prince. "You'd
better stay here a few days an' hunt through these gulches. Since that
rain yesterday there's not one chance in fifty of runnin' down the
rustlers, but you might happen to stumble on the place where they've got
the cattle cached."

"You're goin' down about this Webb murder?"

"Yes. I'm goin' to work out some plans. It will take some strategy to
land Clanton. He's lived out in the hills for years and he knows every
foot of cover in the country."

Goodheart assented. To go blindly out into the mesquite after the young
outlaw would have been as futile as to reach a hand toward the stars with
the hope of plucking a gold-piece from the air.

"Watch the men he trains with. Keep an eye on the Elephant Corral an'
check up on him when he rides in to Los Portales. Spot the tendejon at
Point o' Rocks where he has a hang-out. Unless he has left the country
he'll show up one of these days."

"That's what I think, Jack, an' I'm confident he hasn't gone. He has a
reason for stayin' here."

Goodheart could have put a name to the reason. I