w. The traitur intends turnin' thief as
well--doin' a leetle bit o' stealin' along wi' his treason. Ye
remember, Frank, thar war a goodish grit o' valleyables in the shanty--
the saynorita's jeweltry an' the like. Jest possyble, in the skrimmage,
whiles they war making capter o' thar prisoners, this ugly varmint tuk
devantage o' the confusion to secret a whun o' thar gimcracks, an's now
goed back arter 'em."

"It seems probable enough. Still, he might have some other errand, and
may not go on as far as the house. In which case, we may look for his
return this way at any moment. It will never do for us to start upon
their trail, leaving him coming in our rear. He would see us, and in
the night might slip past and give them warning they were followed."

"All that air true. We must grup him now."

"Should we go down after him, or stay here till he comes up?"

"Neythur o' the two ways'll do. He moutn't kum along no time. If he's
got plunder he won't try to overtake the sogers, but wait till they're
well out o' his way. He knows the road to the Del Norte, and kin travel
it by hisself."

"Then we should go down after him."

"Only one o' us. If we both purceed to the shanty there's be a chance
o' passin' him on the way. He mout be in the timmer, an', seein' us,
put back out hyar, an' so head us. There'd no need o' both for the
capterin' sech a critter as that. I'll fetch him on his marrowbones by
jest raisin' this rifle. Tharfor, s'pose you stay hyar an' guard this
gap, while I go arter an' grup him. I'm a'most sartin he'll be at the
shanty. Anyhow, he's in the trap, and can't get out till he's hed my
claws roun' the scruff o' his neck an' my thumb on his thropple."

"Don't kill him if you can help it. True he deserves to die; but we may
want a word with him first. He may give information that will
afterwards prove useful to us."

"Don't be afeared, Frank. I shan't hurt a har o' his head, unless he
reesists, then I must kripple him a bit. But he ain't like to show
fight, such a coyoat as he!"

"All right, Walt. I'll wait for you."

"You won't hev long. Ye'd better take kiver back o' them big stones to
make sure o' not bein' seen by him, shed he by any chance slip past me.
An' keep yur ears open. Soon as I've treed him I'll gie a whistle or
two. When ye hear that ye can kim down."

After delivering this chapter of suggestions and injunctions, the
ex-Ranger heads his mule down the pass, and