, posted him as to the arrival with
the wild look and blood-shot optics. Siringo cautioned me to go to his
room and stay there, promising to report as the day advanced.

Sponsilier had camped the night before on the main river, and as I
crossed to the hotel, his commissary pulled up in front of Wright,
Beverly & Co.'s outfitting store. Taking the chances of being seen, I
interviewed Dave's cook, and learned that his foreman had given him
an order for the supplies, and that Sponsilier would not come in until
after the herd had passed the Saw Log. As I turned away, my attention
was attracted by the deference being shown the financial man of the
cattle firm, as the party wended their way around to the Wright House.
The silent member of the firm was a portly fellow, and there was no
one in the group but did him honor, even the detective carrying a light
grip, while Tolleston lumbered along with a heavy one.

My effacement was only temporary, as Siringo appeared at his room
shortly afterward. "Well, Quirk," said he, with a smile, "I reckon my
work is all done. Field and Radcliff didn't feel like talking business
this morning, at least until they had shown the financial member their
purchases, both real and prospective. Yes, they took the fat Colonel
and Tolleston with them and started for your camp with a two-seated
rig. From yours they expect to drive to Forrest's camp, and then meet
Sponsilier on the way coming back. No; I declined a very pressing
invitation to go along--you see my mixed herds might come in any minute.
And say, that man Tolleston was there in a hundred places with the big
conversation; he claims to have been kidnapped, and was locked up for
the last four days. He says he whipped your man Seay, but couldn't
convince the authorities of his innocence until last night, when they
set him free. According to his report, Seay's in jail yet at a little
town down the road called Kinsley. Now, I'm going to take a conveyance
to Spearville, and catch the first train out of there East. Settle my
bill with this hotel, and say that I may be out of town for a few days,
meeting a herd which I'm expecting. When Tolleston recognizes all three
of those outfits as belonging to Don Lovell--well, won't there be hell
to pay? Yes, my work is all done."

I fully agreed with the detective that Archie would recognize
the remudas and outfits as Lovell's, even though the cattle were
road-branded out of the usual "Circle Dot." Siringo