.
One big--plenty big--shack. Squaws mak go by shack. Him store.
Charley know. Yes, Breed man run him store. Charley, him see Breed
woman, too. All much plenty busy. So. Charley him come. Yes?"

Kars smoked on for some silent moments.

"You didn't risk the river?" he inquired presently. "Just where were
they working?"

"No. Charley him all get kill up dead by river. No bush. No
nothing." He made a gesture that was unmistakable. Then he went on.
"Charley, him go up dis way." He pointed at the hill directly behind
him. "Him go up--up. Much walk, oh, yes. Then Charley, him go down.
Plenty big piece. Heap down. So. Come by river. Much bush.
Charley, him go on. Quiet. Oh, yes. Quiet--much quiet. Then no bush
any more. Big rock. High. Much high. Wide. Dis way." He spread
his arms out to their full extent, indicating the gorge. "Water so."
He narrowed his hands together. "Squaws, him plenty much work by
water. So."

Again the men smoked on in silence. Bill made no comment at all. He
was looking to Kars. This was entirely Kars' affair.

Presently Kars looked round.

"Charley made good--very good," he said. "Charley good man."

Then he looked across at Bill. He was smiling, and the light of the
fire made his smile queerly grim.

"That's all I need, Bill," he said. "The rest I'll do myself. I'm
going to quit you for the time. Maybe I won't join you till nearly
morning. I can't say. I want you to strike camp right away. Get on
the move down to the river bank--above the gorge. Then follow it along
for a few miles. Maybe ten. Then wait around, and keep an eye wide.
Then send Charley back to wait for me on the river bank--just above the
gorge. Get that, Charley?" He turned to the Indian. "I need you to
know just where Boss Bill is waiting, so you can guide me."

"Charley git him plenty. Charley him wait."

"Good. You get it, Bill?"

Bill nodded.

"Right. Then I'll be moving."

CHAPTER XI

THE SECRET OF THE GORGE

Peigan Charley's belief in his white boss's lack of sanity was
characteristic of Indian regard for the reckless. The reason, the
driving power of his chief's character was lost to his primitive mind.
The act was all he had power to judge by, and the act of voluntarily
visiting the headquarters of the Bell River Indians said he was "crazy."

But Kars was by no means "crazy," nor anything like it. He had a
definite purpose to fulfil, and, in c