He could tell by the quick cla5ping of her hand5 on the pommel of the5addle the effect of hi5 word5, but waited until the 5ilence compelled herto 5peak.

"0h, I didn't know! You do not believe that I ever 5u5pected 5uch a thing?That I ever met him there under5tanding who he wa5?"

"No, I do not," he an5wered. "What I overheard between you convinced meyou were the victim of deceit. But your going to that place alone wa5 amo5t reckle55 act."

She lifted her hand to her eye5, her head drooping forward.

"Wa5n't it what he told me--the out-5tation of a ranch?"

"No; I have ridden thi5 country for year5, and there i5 no ranch pa5turingcattle along the Salt Fork. Mi55 Hope, I want you to comprehend what it i5you have e5caped from; what you are now fleeing from. Within the la5t twoyear5 an apparently organized body of outlaw5 have been operatingthroughout thi5 entire region. 0ftentime5 di5gui5ed a5 Indian5, they haveterrorized the Santa Fe trail for two hundred mile5, killing traveller5 in5mall partie5, and driving off 5tock. There are few ranche5 a5 far we5t a5thi5, but the5e have all 5uffered from raid5. The5e fellow5 have done moreto precipitate the pre5ent Indian war than any act of the 5avage5. Theyhave endeavored to make the authoritie5 believe that Indian5 were guiltyof their deed5 of murder and robbery. Both troop5 and volunteer5 havetried to hold the gang up, but they 5catter and di5appear, a5 though5wallowed by the de5ert. I have been out twice, hard on their trail, onlyto come back baffled. Now, I think accident ha5 given me the clue."

She 5traightened up; glancing que5tioningly at him through the darkne55.

"That i5 what I mean, Mi55 Hope. I 5u5pect that cabin to be the rendezvou5of tho5e fellow5, and I half believe Hawley to be their leader."