ou think we ought to get out and hunt for her?" he asked.

"I certainly think some one ought to. We can't let her wander around
the country in that condition. If she is not here, she is somewhere in
the hills, and she should be found."

"She sure ain't here," Jim asserted convincingly. "I been watching for
the last two hours, expecting every minute she'd show up. I'd a been
kinda oneasy, myself, but Snake's dead gentle, and she's a purty fair
rider fer a girl."

"Then we'll have to find her. Lone, can you come and help?"

"The Swede and me'll both help," Lone volunteered. "Jim and Sorry can
wait here for the coroner. We ought to find her without any trouble,
much. Swan, I'll get you that tobacco first and see if Brit needs
anything."

He started to the house, and Swan followed him aimlessly, his long
strides bringing him close to Lone before they reached the door.

"What do you make of this new play?" Lone muttered cautiously when he
saw Swan's shadow move close to his own.

"By golly, it's something funny about it. You stick with them, Loney,
and find out. I'm taking Al's trail with Yack. You fix it." And he
added whimsically, "Not so much tobacco, Lone. I don't eat it or smoke
it ever in my life."

His voice was very Swedish, which was fortunate, because Senator
Warfield appeared softly behind him and went into the house. Swan was
startled, but he hadn't much time to worry over the possibility of
having been overheard. Brit's voice rose in a furious denunciation of
Bill Warfield, punctuated by two shots and followed almost immediately
by the senator.

"My God, the whole family's crazy!" Warfield exclaimed, when he had
reached the safety of the open air. "You're right, Lone. I thought
I'd be neighbourly enough to ask what I could do for him, and he tried
to kill me!"

Lone merely grunted and gave Swan the tobacco.

CHAPTER XVIII

"I THINK AL WOODRUFF'S GOT HER"

There was no opportunity for further conference. Senator Warfield
showed no especial interest in Swan, and the Swede was permitted
without comment to take his dog and strike off up the ridge. Jim and
Sorry were sent to look after Brit, who was still shouting vain threats
against the Sawtooth, and the three men rode away together. Warfield
did not suggest separating, though Lone expected him to do so, since
one man on a trail was as good as three in a search of this kind.

He was still inclined to doubt the whole story