ay had extended to within ten miles of the home
ranch and Harris had gone out to have a look at some of the nearer
victims. He located two by the flights of meat-eating birds but range
stock had blotted out all possible signs. He rode back to the corrals
in the early afternoon and joined Billie and Deane.

"Not a track," he said. "We must expect more or less of that. They'll
cut in on us wherever there's a chance."

As Harris left them the girl pointed out a horseman riding up the lane.

"The sheriff," she volunteered, and Deane noted an odd tightening of
her lips.

Alden dismounted and accosted Moore and Horne. From their grinning
faces she knew that they were deliberately evading whatever questions
the sheriff might be asking. Horne's voice reached them.

"Whoever it is seems to be doing a right neat job," he said. "Why not
let him keep it up?"

The sheriff came over to Deane and the girl.

"Billie, I expect you can tell me who's doing this killing over in the
Breaks," he said.

She was unaccustomed to the easy dissimulation that was second nature
to the men of the whole countryside and her eyes fell under the
sheriff's steady gaze. Deane was looking into her face and with a
shock he realized that she could pronounce the name of the assassin but
was deliberately withholding it. She raised her head with a trace of
defiance.

"No. I can't tell you," she said.

Deane expected to hear the sheriff's curt demand that she divulge the
name of the man he sought. It must be easily apparent to him, as it
was to Deane, that she knew. But Alden only dropped a hand on her
shoulder and stood looking down at her.

"All right, girl," he said mildly. "I reckon you can't tell. He can't
be such a rotten sort; if you refuse to turn him up." He pushed back
his hat and smiled at Deane. "We have to humor the womenfolks out
here," he explained, as he turned toward the bunk house.

Deane, already at a loss to grasp the mental attitude of the range
dwellers, was further mystified by a sheriff who spoke of humoring the
ladies in a matter pertaining to a double killing.

"Billie, you know!" he accused; "why wouldn't you tell?"

"Because there's a good chance that he's a friend of mine," she stated
simply. "Those men had it coming to them and some way I can't feel any
regret."

"But if it was justified he should give himself up and stand trial," he
said.

"Then let him do it of his own accord," she said. "I c