horse. A yearling was hog-tied there, and a branding fire burned
beside. As they looked, a young man knelt over the yearling and
earmarked it. Close by, Adam Forbes slouched in the saddle, leaning
with both hands on the horn. He gave a letter to the young man, who
stuck it into his shirt and then went back to the yearling. He loosed
the hogging-string. The yearling scrambled to his feet, bawling
defiance, intent on battle; the young man grabbed the yearling's tail
and jerked him round till his head faced down the canyon. Adam Forbes
made a pass with his horse and slapped with his hat; the yearling
fled.

"Wait! Wait!" whispered Jody. "I know that man! That's Johnny Dines.
Wait! Adam wants to get back and feel that gold in his fingers. Ten to
one Dines is going across the river; I can guess his business; he's
hunting for the John Cross. Adam gave him the location-papers to mail.
If Adam goes back--there's your scapegoat--Dines! He'll be the man
that killed Forbes!"

"Friend of yours, Jody?"

"Damn him! If they both start down the canyon, you fellows get Forbes.
I'll get Dines myself. That's the kind of friend he is. Get your guns
ready--they'll be going in a minute, one way or the other."

"Curiously enough, I know Johnny Dines myself," muttered Hales. "Very
intelligent man, Dines. Very! I would take a singular satisfaction in
seeing young Dines hung. To that laudable end I sure hope your Mr.
Forbes will not go down the canyon."

"Well, he won't! Didn't you see him give Dines the papers?" said
Caney. "Lay still! This is going to match up like clockwork."

The men below waved their hands to each other in friendly fashion;
Forbes jogged lazily up the canyon; Dines stamped out the branding fire
and rode whistling on the riverward road.

"Weir, you're dead sure you can pull the trick about the papers? All
right, then--you and Hales go over there and write out joint location
papers in the names of the three of us. Got a pencil? Yes? Burn the
old notices, and burn 'em quick. Burn his kegs and turn his hobbled
horse loose. We will bring his tools as we come back, and hide 'em in
the rocks. Any old scrap of paper will do us. Here's some old letters.
Use the backs of them. After we get to Hillsboro we'll make copies to
file."

These directions came jerkily and piecemeal as the conspirators
scrambled down the hillside.

"Where'll we join you?"

Caney paused with his foot in the stirrup to give Jody Weir a black
look