ooking away over the sordid, dusty passing throng, cursed under his
breath. Neale was the first to recover his composure.

"Let's say no more. What's done is done," he said. "Suppose you take us
on one of your buffalo-hunts."

Slingerland grasped at straws. "Wal, now, thet ain't a bad idee. I can
use you," he replied, eagerly. "But it's hard an' dangerous work. We git
chased by redskins often. An' you'd hev to ride. I reckon, Neale, you're
good enough on a hoss. But our cowboy friend hyar, he can't ride, as I
recollect your old argyments."

"My job was hosses," drawled Larry.

"An' besides, you've got to shoot straight, which Reddy hasn't hed
experience of," went on Slingerland, with a broader smile.

"I seen you was packin' a Winchester all shiny an' new," replied Larry.
"Shore I'm in fer anythin' with ridin' an' shootin'."

Neale and Larry accepted the proposition then and there.

"You'll need to buy rifles an' shells, thet's all," said Slingerland.
"I've hosses an' outfit over at the work-camp, an' I've been huntin'
east of thar. Come on, we'll go to a store. Thet train's goin' back
soon."

"Wal, I come in on thet train an' now I'm leavin' on it," drawled Larry.
"Shore is funny. Without even lookin' over this heah Benton."

On the ride eastward Slingerland inquired if Neale and Larry had ever
gone back to the scene of the massacre of the caravan where Horn had
buried his gold.

Neale had absolutely forgotten the buried gold. Probably when he and
Larry had scoured the wild hills for trace of Allie they had passed down
the valley where the treasure had been hidden. Slingerland gave the same
reason for his oversight. They talked about the gold and planned, when
the railroad reached the foot-hills, to go after it.

Both Indians and buffalo were sighted from the train before the trio got
to the next camp.

"I reckon I don't like thet," declared Slingerland. "I was friendly with
the Sioux. But now thet I've come down hyar to kill off their buffalo
fer the whites they're ag'in' me. I know thet. An' I allus regarded them
buffalo as Injun property. If it wasn't thet I seen this railroad means
the end of the buffalo, an' the Indians, too, I'd never hev done it.
Thet I'll swar."

It was night when they reached their destination. How quiet and dark
after Benton! Neale was glad to get there. He wondered if he could
conquer his unrest. Would he go on wandering again? He doubted himself
and dismissed the thought. Pe