ncts often ran
truer to form than the reasons of others. While Dorgan was not a likable
man, he was not one whom everybody would distrust; he did not have the
word "villain" printed on his face. Yet Injun thought he was one, and if
asked for his reasons probably could not have told them.

You know that Injun suspected Dorgan of taking Whitey's pony, and now
Whitey learned for the first time that Injun had seen Dorgan stealing
away from the sheep ranch on the night of the war. Whitey wondered why
Injun had not told him this before, but it was not Injun's way to tell
everything he knew, even to Whitey. That was one of Injun's charms.

No one ever had suspected Dorgan of being a sheepman. He might have been
at that ranch as a mere visitor. Injun thought he went there on foot,
after Monty had been taken away from him. It is well known that in the
Old West horse-stealing was considered about the worst crime a man could
commit, not only because of the value of the horse, and a man's being so
dependent on it, but because the horse helped to steal itself, as all
one had to do was to get on it and ride away. It never would do to
accuse Dorgan of the crime without pretty good proof.

Of course, it made Whitey wild to think of any one's stealing Monty, and
as he and Injun stood in a corner of the barn, and talked the matter
over, they decided on the following course: they would stay at the
Hanley Ranch for a while; Dorgan had not seen them. If he ran away when
he did see them, that would be an indication of guilt, but no proof. But
if Dorgan stayed on, the boys might be able to get some proof of his
guilt. He was a dangerous man to deal with; that made it all the more
interesting. If they had known how dangerous Dorgan really was, they
might have considered the matter more seriously.

The next morning the Mildini Troupe went on its way across the lonely
prairie, and Whitey watched the departure with regret. He would have
liked to travel farther with that troupe.

The owner of the Hanley Ranch seldom came there. He lived in the East,
leaving the affairs of the place entirely in the hands of a manager
named Gilbert Steele. It was a common saying in that part of the country
that "Gil Steele was as hard as his name." He was an ambitious and an
active man, and regarded every dollar wrung out of the ranch for its
owner as a sort of triumph for himself.

There are men who are successful only when working for others; whose
every ind