ain't dead yet," Eddie
made sheepish comment. "Mebbe you kinda look on me as being a horn toad,
Bud."

"When you bear in mind that my folks raised that kid, You'll realize
that it takes a good deal to stampede mother." Bud swung into the saddle
to avoid subjecting his emotions to the cramped, inadequate limitations
of speech. "Let's go, boys. She's a long trail to take the kinks out of
before supper-time."

They stood still, making no move to follow. Bud reined Smoky around so
that he faced them, reached laboriously into that mysterious pocket of
a cowpuncher's trousers which is always held closed by the belt of his
chaps, and which invariably holds in its depths the things he wants in a
hurry. They watched him curiously, resolutely refusing to interpret his
bit of autobiography, wondering perhaps why he did not go.

"Here she is." Bud had disinterred the deputy sheriff's badge, and began
to polish it by the primitive but effectual method of spitting on it and
then rubbing vigorously on his sleeve. "You're outside of Crater County,
but by thunder you're both guilty of resisting an officer, and county
lines don't count!" He had pinned the badge at random on his coat while
he was speaking, and now, before the two realized what he was about, he
had his six-shooter out and aimed straight at them.

Bud had never lived in fear of the law. Instantly was sorry when he
saw the involuntary stiffening of their muscles, the quick wordless
suspicion and defiance that sent their eyes in shifty glances to right
and left before their hands lifted a little. Trust him, love him they
might, there was that latent fear of capture driven deep into their
souls; so deep that even he had not erased it.

Bud saw--and so he laughed.

"I've got to show my folks that I've made a gathering," he said. "You
can't quit, boys. And I'm going to take you to the end of the trail, now
you've started." He eyed them, saw that they were still stubborn, and
drew in his breath sharply, manfully meeting the question in their
minds.

"We've left more at the Sinks than the gnashing of teeth," he said
whimsically. "A couple of bad names, for instance. You're two bully
good friends of mine, and--damn it, Marian will want to see both of you
fellows, if she's there. If she isn't--we'll maybe have a big circle
to ride, finding her. I'll need you, no matter what's ahead." He looked
from one to the other, gave a snort and added impatiently, "Aw, fork
your horses