called Kaydessa into such
mindless and will-less answer did not touch the animals. And neither
Apache felt it. So perhaps only Kaydessa's people were subject to it, as
she had thought. How far away was that machine? Not too near, for
otherwise the coyotes would have traced the man or men operating it.

"We cannot move her," Tsoay brought the problem into the open--"unless
we bind and carry her. She is one of their kind. Why not let her go to
them, unless you fear she will talk." His hand went to the knife in his
belt, and Travis knew what primitive impulse moved in the younger man.

In the old days a captive who was likely to give trouble was
efficiently eliminated. In Tsoay that memory was awake now. Travis shook
his head.

"She has said that others of her kin are in these hills. We must not set
two wolf packs hunting us," Travis said, giving the more practical
reason which might better appeal to that savage instinct for
self-preservation. "But you are right, since she has tried to answer
this summons, we cannot force her with us. Therefore, do you take the
back trail. Tell Buck what we have discovered and have him make the
necessary precautions against either these Mongol outlaws or a Red
thrust over the mountains."

"And you?"

"I stay to discover where the outlaws hide and learn all I can of this
settlement. We may have reason to need friends----"

"Friends!" Tsoay spat. "The People need no friends! If we have warning,
we can hold our own country! As the Pinda-lick-o-yi have discovered
before."

"Bows and arrows against guns and machines?" Travis inquired bitingly.
"We must know more before we make any warrior boasts for the future.
Tell Buck what we have discovered. Also say I will join you before,"
Travis calculated--"ten suns. If I do not, send no search party; the
clan is too small to risk more lives for one."

"And if these Reds take you--?"

Travis grinned, not pleasantly. "They shall learn nothing! Can their
machines sort out the thoughts of a dead man?" He did not intend his
future to end as abruptly as that, but also he would not be easy meat
for any Red hunting party.

Tsoay took a share of their rations and refused the company of the
coyotes. Travis realized that for all his seeming ease with the animals,
the younger scout had little more liking for them than Deklay and the
others back at the rancheria. Tsoay went at dawn, aiming at the pass.

Travis sat down beside Kaydessa. They had bound