had to show him. Then I got to thinkin' I
wasn't so much--takin' a pore, busted tramp to jail. And it made me sick
when everybody round town was callin' me some little hero. Then one of
the Starr boys told me High Chin was cinchin' up to ride in and get the
hobo, anyhow, so I busted the lock and told him to fan it."

"Why didn't you appeal to the sheriff?"

"Huh! Buck Hardy is all right. But I can tell you one thing; he's not
the man to stand up to High Chin when High is drinkin'. Why, I see High
shove a gun in Hardy's face once and tell him to go home and go to bed.
And Hardy went. Anyhow, that hobo was my prisoner, and I didn't aim to
let High Chin get his hands on him."

"I see. Well, you have a strange way of doing things, but I appreciate
why you acted as you did. Of course, you know it is a grave offense to
aid a prisoner to escape."

"Buck Hardy seems to think so."

"So do I. And how about that horse?"

"Well, next day I was fixin' up the machine and foolin' around--that
machine belonged to them tourists that the fella stuck up--when along
about sundown Buck Hardy comes swellin' up to me and tells me I'm under
arrest. He couldn't prove a darned thing if I hadn't said I done the
job. But, anyhow, he didn't see it my way, so I borrowed Waring's horse
and come down this way. Everybody saw me take the horse. You can't call
that stealin'."

"Did Hardy ride after you?"

"Yes, sir. But he was so far behind I couldn't hear what he wanted. That
big buckskin is a wonder. I wish I owned him."

Torrance mentally patched the fragments of evidence together. He decided
that a young man who could capture a holdup man, best the notorious High
Chin in a fight, repair a broken automobile, turn a prisoner loose, and
make his own escape all within the short compass of forty-eight hours
was a rather capable person in a way. And Torrance knew by Lorry's
appearance and manner that he was still on the verdant side of twenty.
If such a youth chose to turn his abilities in the right direction he
might accomplish much. Lorry's extreme frankness satisfied Torrance that
the boy had told the truth. He would give him a chance.

"Do you know Bud Shoop?" queried the supervisor.

"No, sir. I know what he looks like. He's been to our hotel."

"Well, you might look him up. He may be out of town. Possibly he is up
at his homestead on the Blue Mesa. Tell Mr. Shoop that I sent you to
him. He will understand. But you will have to square yo