h. That
set me thinking. That night I rode over to Healy's and asked an
explanation.

"He had one ready. Some one else must have killed the cow. He found the
calf wandering about alone, and branded it. Somehow his story didn't
quite satisfy me, but I wasn't ready then to think him a coyote. I liked
him--always had. And it flattered me that he had picked me out to be his
best friend. So I said nothing, and figured it out that he was on the
square. Of course I knew he was reckless and wild, but I didn't like him
any the less for that. I reckon nobody ever accused him of not being
game."

"Hardly," smiled Keller. "He'll stand the acid that way."

"The thing that stuck in my craw was his lying about seeing you on the
night of the bank robbery. He said you were riding the roan with white
stockings. Later we found out that couldn't be true. Then I knew Jim was
telling the truth about you being with him in the hills at the time. It
kind of sifted to me by degrees that you were a white man and he was a
skunk."

"And then?"

"Then we had it out one day. He had his reason for wanting to stand well
with me. I reckon you know what it is."

"I know his reason. No man could have a better. I reckon I've a right to
think so, Phil, because she has promised to marry me."

The boy shook hands with him impulsively. "I'm right glad to hear
it--and I want to say they don't make girls any better than Phyl."

"That's not news to me. I have known it since the first time I saw her."

Sanderson returned to the order of the day. "Well, Brill and I had had
one or two tiffs, mostly about you and Phyl. He saw I was changed toward
him, and he wanted to know why. I let him have it straight, and since
then we haven't been friends."

"I'm glad of that. It makes plain sailing for me. He's got to be run
down and caged, Phil. Healy is at the head of all this rustling that has
been troubling the Malpais country. His gang stuck up the Diamond Nugget
stage, killed Sheriff Fowler, and robbed the Noches Bank."

"How could he have robbed the bank when he was seen fifty miles from
there not two hours afterward?"

Keller briefly explained his theory then pushed on at once to his plans.

"I'm going to make straight for the Mimbres Pass while you go back and
rustle help. I'll try to keep them from getting through the Pass until
you close in on them behind."

"That don't look good to me. How do I know how long it will be before I
can gather the boys