or Howard the
little party was ready. They rode down into the valley four abreast
and across the fields to the ranch-house. Helen seemed a new creature
this morning, utterly tantalizing and not a little perverse. Howard
did not know what a proud and independent little person she was, nor
did he know that each day during the week she had expected him to ride
over, and had finally told herself point-blank that it did not matter
the least snap of her fingers whether he ever came or not. Naturally,
she did not know what had kept him away or that he had even wanted to
come. Now that she had heard his remark about a lost horse and a long
walk she was burning with curiosity. But that was another matter
hidden from Alan.

She did remark the big revolver at his hip and when opportunity arose
mentioned it to Carr. Wasn't it rather strange, she wanted to know,
and even somewhat absurd that a man should go about armed like that?
Carr evaded and made a vague remark about a man riding across the Bad
Lands perhaps with money in his pocket. But John Carr was a blunt,
straightforward type of a man, little given to finesse in
circumlocution, and Helen fixed her frank, level gaze upon him and knew
that he was holding back something. Still higher rose her curiosity
about a man whom she did her feminine best to ignore this morning.

Before they came to the ranch-house Helen and her father were riding
ahead, while the two friends dropped further and further back. Carr
listened with keen interest as Alan sketched the happenings of the last
few days. He whistled softly at what he learned of the man on the
trail of Jim Courtot. But he shook his head when Alan predicted that,
soon or late, Kish Taka would kill the gambler.

'It's white man and Indian, Al,' he said. 'The thing always works out
the same way. Jim got one of the two of them, didn't he? Well, he'll
get the other. And what I know of the breed of your friend Kish Taka,
they're a pretty low-lived bunch and there'd be precious little harm
done if they killed each other.'

But Alan shook his head. 'Kish Taka is a pretty deep shade of dark on
the outside, but he's white clean through under the hide of him. And
I've got it clear in my head that he'll never quit on the trail until
he's squared accounts with Courtot.'

'By the way,' said Carr carelessly after a moment, 'the professor seems
all excited about something or other this morning. What's it all
about?'

'Wh