the real one. You could be his prime target
now."

"Fair of you to point that out." Drew thought that at last he had found a
real motive for Topham's services. "I'm likely to be bait, ain't that the
truth of it?"

"If you are, the trap is going to be there. But now ... get away from
here. Teodoro will ride with you as guide."

"And the army after me. That's it!" Drew had mounted. "That's what you
want, isn't it? Me to pull the troops south? Huntin' down an escaped horse
thief they might slam into Kitchell...."

What a trick! Topham had planned it without asking Drew's support. But it
called for enough audacity, luck, and nerve to be appealing. During the
war the Kentuckian had seen such schemes win out time and time again.

"Why ain't Bayliss already ridin'?" he asked. "Hasn't he heard about the
raid?"

"He's been heard to say a man can raid his own stock as a cover-up."

"What's wrong with him? Is he deaf, dumb, and blind!"

"No, just prejudiced and ridden by envy until he's not able to think
straight any more. But he'll track you and follow quick enough!"

"He sure will. All right ... we ride."

They did, Drew depending on the younger Trinfan's guidance. And, while
Teodoro set a meandering trail, it was not one which a determined pursuer
would have too much trouble following, come sunup or whenever that sentry
discovered he was guarding a straw prisoner.

Once when they pulled up to breathe their horses, dismounting to loose
cinches and cool the backs of the mounts, Drew indulged his curiosity
further.

"How come you knew just where to make that hole to let me out?"

Teodoro laughed. "That was easy, _senor_. That was the Garza Rancho--only
six months has the army been there. Many times we have camped within its
walls when we brought in the best of the wild catch for sale. I know those
buildings very well. When _Senor_ Topham tells my father what must be
done, we could plan well and quickly. I have heard what you said to
_Senor_ Topham, that you are the son of _Don_ Cazar. Why did he not know
of this? Why have you never lived here with him?"

"He didn't know I was alive, and I didn't know that he was. My
grandfather--my mother's father--he hated _Don_ Cazar very much, because of
a duel and other things. So my father took my mother away secretly,
brought her to Texas when they were both very young. Then _Don_ Cazar went
to war and the news came that he had been killed. My grandfather went to
Texas and t