five men had gone. Twice he saw them
cross over ridges. Then a tiny, swift-moving speck came into his field
of view, traveling up the slope of a distant divide. The ant-like
rider dipped over the crest of it and was gone.

"He's more than five miles in the lead of them," he said. "Across
rough country too. There was just a chance that he would work back
through these breaks below us instead of making a ride for it, and we
could have spotted him from up here. We might as well be going."

They mounted and headed to the right along the divide.

"If Rile is in sight we can wait for him," he said. "And see if he's
picked up any tracks."

A half-mile along the ridge they saw Foster off through the breaks and
he was working back their way.

"Thanks, Billie," Harris said. "For losing a circle trying to run him
down."

"I'd have done as much for any Three Bar man," she returned.

"Of course," he said. "I'd have expected that. But all the same I'd
hardly looked to see you show much concern over what happened to me."

"I don't want to see even you shot in the back," she said. "Is that
answer enough?"

"It shows that I'm progressing," he smiled. "Maybe my good qualities
will grow on you until you get to thinking right well of me."

They waited till Foster joined them on the ridge.

"Bangs crossed over a mile below," Rile said. "We might pick him up."

"Any sign?" Harris asked as they moved down the divide.

"A bunch of shod horses went down through there a few days back," Rile
said. "Three or four men likely, with a few pack horses along. There
was a fresh track, made this morning, going up-country alone. He
likely stayed at their camp all night, wherever it is. I worked
across, thinking he might go back to it; but there was no down trail.
He's pulled out."

"I saw him," Harris said. "He's gone."

They stopped in the saddle of the ridge where a fresh track showed the
spot Bangs had crossed.

The girl was looking at Harris and saw a sudden pallor travel up under
his tan and as she turned to see what had occasioned it he crowded his
horse against her own.

"Don't look!" he ordered, and forced her horse over the far side of the
ridge. "You'd better ride on back to the wagon," he urged. "There's
been some sort of doings over across. Rile and I will ride down and
look into it." Without a word she turned her horse toward the wagon.

"It's God's mercy she didn't see," Harris said, as the two cr