He did not say any
more then, but he gazed thoughtfully down upon the pale hunter, as if
that strange individual was one infinitely to respect, but never to
comprehend.

* * * * *

Wade's wounds healed quickly; nevertheless, it was more than several
days before he felt spirit enough to undertake the ride. He had to
return to White Slides, but he was reluctant to do so. Memory of Jack
Belllounds dragged at him, and when he drove it away it continually
returned. This feeling was almost equivalent to an augmentation of his
gloomy foreboding, which ever hovered on the fringe of his
consciousness. But one morning he started early, and, riding very
slowly, with many rests, he reached the Sage Valley cabin before sunset.
Moore saw him coming, yelled his delight and concern, and almost lifted
him off the horse. Wade was too tired to talk much, but he allowed
himself to be fed and put to bed and worked over.

"Boot's on the other foot now, pard," said Moore, with delight at the
prospect of returning service. "Say, you're all shot up! And it's I
who'll be nurse!"

"Wils, I'll be around to-morrow," replied the hunter. "Have you heard
any news from down below?"

"Sure. I've met Lem every night."

Then he related Burley's version of Wade's fight with the rustlers in
the cabin. From the sheriff's lips the story gained much. Old Bill
Belllounds had received the news in a singular mood; he offered no
encomiums to the victor; contrary to his usual custom of lauding every
achievement of labor or endurance, he now seemed almost to regret the
affray. Jack Belllounds had returned from Kremmling and he was present
when Burley brought news of the rustlers. What he thought none of the
cowboys vouchsafed to say, but he was drunk the next day, and he lost a
handful of gold to them. Never had he gambled so recklessly. Indeed, it
was as if he hated the gold he lost. Little had been seen of Columbine,
but little was sufficient to make the cowboys feel concern.

Wade made scarcely any comment upon this news from the ranch; next day,
however, he was up, and caring for himself, and he told Moore about the
fight and how he had terrorized Belllounds and exhorted the
promises from him.

"Never in God's world will Buster Jack live up to those promises!" cried
Moore, with absolute conviction. "I know him, Ben. He meant them when he
made them. He'd swear his soul away--then next day he'd lie or forget
or betray."