It was growing dark when they passed through the tunnel at the lower end of the valley and made their way down nhe stream. The men rode in pairs and the foreman had named the order; Green and his partner were the middle couple, and the cowpuncher could not believe that this was accidental. Moreover, Gorilla stuck to him like a burr, and he had an uneasy suspicion that the little man was riding with his gun drawn, and that he would be instantly shot down if he made a dash for it. They rode slowly, for in the dark the trail was difficult, and Jeffs wished to spare the horses. Mile after mile they paced through the darkness, amid a silence broken only by the creak of saddle-leather, the clink of a shod hoof on a stone, a laugh or an oath from one of the riders. At times the heavy foliage shut them in completely, but when threading a gully or crossing a ridge they could see the sky, ablaze with the twinkling lights of other worlds.
Several times Green endeavoured to draw his companion into converse but the dwarf replied only in monosyllables. He had the air of one who has nearly committed an indiscretion and is taking no more risks. So the Y Z man was driven to his own thoughts, and into these a laughing face, with rebellious golden hair, insisted upon intruding. He found himself wishing he could see her, but would have been sadly shocked had he known how soon his desire was to be gratified.
So far as Green could determine, the trail they were traversing was that he and Larry had followed, skirting Sandy Parlour, and striking the Y Z range near the line-house where Bud had been slain. A plainsman, travelling a new trail, instinctively picks out landmarks which, retained in the memory, will enable him to recognise it again; the contour of a bluff, the bed of an old water-course, a big tree, or even a particular clump of brush, serve him as signposts. So that the cowpuncher knew when they were nearing their destination, and was moved to comment on the lack of caution shown by the raiders.
`Shucks, they ain't expectin' us,' said Gorilla.
`Yu mean they are expectin' us, don't yu?' queried the other. `Who's at the line-house to-night?'
`Bent an' Nigger,' replied the dwarf unthinkingly, and then, with a sudden oath, `Here, what yu gettin' at? How do I know who..'
The puncher interrupted him. `Why not?' he asked easily. `I reckon Jeffs ain't the man to overlook a bet like that. Yu gotta suspicious nature, Gorilla.'
`Mebbe I have, but don't yu play no tricks on me,' came the sullen retort.
They were now in a little draw which sloped up on to the open range, and Jeffs called a halt while one of the men slipped from his saddle and vanished in the shadows. Evidently the leader of the expedition was taking no chances, and wished to be sure that the men he looked for were actually in the cabin. The rest of them waited, in silence now, for the return of the scout. Green covertly tried his guns, making sure they would instantly come from the holsters, and then, pressing his horse with his right leg, caused the animal to gradually edge further away from Gorilla. The latter at once imitated the movement, growling in an undertone, `We gotta keep together, pard.'
The puncher did not reply; he had found out what he wanted to know--that he was not trusted. Doubtless, he argued, he had been included in the party as a test; if, indeed, he was willing to rob his late employer, they would know that he was one of them, but they would take no risks till this was proved. His own plans were not yet matured, he was not ready to put his cards on the table, for he had no evidence of Tarman's connection with the rustlers other than his own knowledge.
The reappearance of the man who had gone ahead cut short his meditations. Apparently the coast was clear, for the leader gave the word and the raiders advanced through the draw to emerge on the open range. Then, in accordance with the orders already given, four of the couples spread out right and left in a wide half-circle, while Jeffs and another man headed for the line-house, the one small window of which was lighted up. Noiselessly loping over the thick grass, the outer horns of the half-circle of horsemen swept round to complete the ring, and then, at the shrill cry of a coyote, which was the agreed signal, all rode slowly towards the centre, driving in the cows. A few of the brutes tried to dodge past the riders, but the cow-ponies knew their work and soon had the fugitives turned back into the bunch. In less than an hour the gather was made, and Jeffs rode up to find a goodly herd of six or seven score awaiting him.
`Get 'em on the move, boys,' he said. `We don't want no daylight in this act.'
The men laughed and set about the task of getting the milling herd on the run. Green was taking a hand in this when a squat, leering rider slipped up behind and dealt him a crashing blow on the head with the barrel of a six-shooter. The stricken man went headlong from the saddle, and the frightened pony sprang away into the darkness before the assailant could grip the reins. With a chuckle of triumph the dwarf looked down upon the sprawling black figure, with its garish plumed head-dress.
`Reckon yu'll stay put for a bit, but yo're damn lucky,' he muttered. `I'd 'a' put a knife in yore gizzard but Jeffs wouldn't have it; swore he'd blow me apart if I killed ye, an' he'd do it too, blast him.'
Without another look at his victim, the cold-blooded little freak turned his horse and galloped after the retreating raiders.
In the first chill of the early morning, a cowboy loped easily over the plain in the direction of the line-house. It was Durran, and his eyes gleamed as he noted the almost entire absence of cattle.
`Seems they made a pretty clean sweep,' he muttered. `Hell, what's that?'
He had caught sight of the Indian head-dress and in a moment was gazing down at it, a sinister grin on his lips. `So they got him, eh?' he continued, `an' got him good by the look of it. Well, that'll put a crimp in yu, Mister Man.'
He spurred his mount to the cabin, sprang down and thrust open the door. At the sight which greeted him he leant against the doorpost and rocked winh laughter. Bent and Nigger, hog -nied and helpless, lay sprawling on the floor. A simultaneous curse from both cut short his merriment.
`Come an' ease off these ropes an' stop yore jackass bray,' supplemented Nigger. `Jeffs shore knows all about knots, blast him.'
Durran slashed them loose with his knife, still chuckling, and the bound men stood up and chafed their aching limbs. `Glad yu fellers had this end of it,' commented their rescuer. `Just a mite unnecessary, warn't it?'
`No, it warn't,' replied Bent. `Jeffs aims to play safe. S'pose one o' the other boys, or some o' the Frying Pan outfit had sifted in before yu, how's it goin' to look for us? An' he shore did a good job, cuss him.'
`Green's a-layin' out there,' Durran said, jerking his thumb towards the open door. `Looks like he's cashed.'
`Cashed nothin'--just a tap with a gun,' said Bent. `I did that when they first rushed us.'
`Yu did?' ejaculated Durran, and then suddenly comprehending, `Why, o' course, it musta been one o' yu. Ain't it hell how neat it's workin' out, an' won't Rattler be pleased to see him?'
`He'll be a gladder sight than four aces; reckon we'd better fetch him in.'
Green was still unconscious when they laid him in one of the bunks, and having removed his guns and tied his feet together, began to bathe the gash on his head. Under their ministrations he came to his senses but it was some little time before he could realise what had happened. Then he began to get a glimmering of the trap which had been so artfully prepared, and into which he had blundered blindly.
After a meal Durran rode off again to carry the news to the ranch. The other two men sat at the door conversing in low nones, and taking no notice of the prisoner. The reflections of the latter were the reverse of pleasant. He was in a tight place, caught in the act of rustling, and by the custom of the country the nearest tree and a rope would be his portion when the foreman of the Y Z arrived. His one chance lay in being taken to the ranch and having speech with Simon, and he doubted whether Blaynes would give him that opportunity. Lying there, his head throbbing painfully, he suddenly became aware that the voices from the doorway were louder, and he could hear something of what was said.