e to the fact that you've been smart enough to light on the
right trail, that I'm ready to tell you something I've been holding up
from everybody, even Marbolt himself. Mind, I haven't got the dead-gut
cinch on these folk yet, though I'm right on to 'em, sure. Anton,
that's the feller. I've tracked him from the other side of the line.
His real name's 'Tough' McCulloch, an' I guess I know as much as there
is to be known of him an' his history, which is pretty rotten. He's
wanted in Alberta for murder. Not one, but half a dozen. Say, shall I
tell you what he's doin'? He rides out of here at night, an' joins a
gang of scallywag Breeds, like himself, an' they are the crowd that
have been raiding all around us. And Anton--well, I'd like to gamble
my last dollar he's the fellow wearing the Red Mask. Say, I knew he
was out last night. He was out with two of the horses. I was around.
An' at daylight I went up to the stable while he was sleepin', an' the
dog-gone fool hadn't cleaned the saddle marks from their backs. Now,
if you're feeling like bearin' a hand in lagging this black
son-of-a---- I'm with you fair an' square. We won't shake hands, for
good reasons, but your word'll go with me."

"Nothing would suit me better."

Tresler was struggling to fathom the man's object.

"Good. Now we'll quietly go up to the stable. Maybe you can tell if a
horse has been recently saddled, even after grooming?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll show you. An' mind, Marbolt hasn't ordered one of his
private horses out. Nor ain't Miss Diane. It's Anton."

He rose and prepared to depart, but Tresler stayed him.

"One moment, Jake," he said. "I don't wish to give offense, but tell
me why, if you have discovered so much about Anton, have you let these
things go on so long? Think of the murder of Manson Orr, of Arizona's
wound, of the dozen and one outrages of which even I am aware."

Jake stood silently contemplating him for a while. Nor was there any
sign of his swift anger. He smiled faintly, and again Tresler noted
the nasty tone of derision in his voice when he answered.

"I thought maybe you'd learnt a deal out here where you find everybody
on their own. I thought you'd p'r'aps learned that it ain't wise to
raise trouble till you've got the business end of your gun pointin'
right. Can't you see there's not a cent's worth of evidence against
the man yet? Have you ever heard where he runs his cattle? Has
anybody? Has any one ever seen under that ma