these words that each of the speakers was satisfied
as to the identity of the one that had fired the well-nigh fatal shot.
Gleeson named him immediately.

"I warned the cap, when he hired that Comanche, that we would have
trouble with him. We left Texas a little short-handed, but we could have
got through well enough without him. Howsumever, Shackaye, as you
remember, rode into camp one day and asked the cap to give him a job,
and the cap done it."

"I recall your words about him, and I thought they were not justified;
but what made you so suspicious?"

The Texan uttered an impatient exclamation.

"In the first place he's an Injin, and _that_ ought to be enough. I
never seen one of his race that it's safe to trust; they'll shoot the
man that gives them a cup of water or a piece of bread. Talk about Injin
gratitude! There aint any such thing."

"What did my uncle say to your sentiments?"

"He laughed in that quiet way of his, and said maybe as I was right, but
he didn't see what we had to fear from one Injin that was in camp with
us; he reckoned we could pull his teeth before he could bite enough to
hurt."

"I am sure he will think differently when he hears my story."

"Don't tell him or anyone else a word about it. Promise me that."

"And why?" asked the surprised Avon.

"Well," was the hesitating answer, "I've several reasons: one of them is
that though you and me have fixed on the Comanche as the chap, we aint
sure of it. It looks very much that way, but it may be someone else
after all. We mustn't make any mistake, and above all, don't let
Shackaye think we suspect him."

The youth gave his promise, though in his mind there was no doubt of the
identity of the man that had come so near shooting him from his mustang.
He saw the wisdom of not allowing Shackaye to know that he was
suspected.

The cattle having been located, the couple had little to do but to hold
them where they were. This proved less difficult than at other times.
They had the help of Burrell, or Old Bronze, in the work, and the three
did little but ride back and forth, timing their course in such a way
that they skirted the large body of animals, often meeting and
exchanging greetings, but more often passing without seeming to see each
other.

Sometimes one of the cattle would show a determination to dash away from
the main body, but before he went far, a horseman was in front of him
and he was forced back. The night was too chilly fo