anything else?" he questioned.

Ferguson smiled. "I ain't sayin' anything about anything else," he
returned.

Thus, unsuspectingly, did Stafford watch and listen while these two men
arranged to carry on their war man to man, neither asking any favor
from the man who, with a word, might have settled it. With his reply
that he wasn't "sayin' anything about anything else," Ferguson had told
Leviatt that he had no intention of telling his suspicions to any man.
Nor from this moment would Leviatt dare whisper a derogatory word into
the manager's ear concerning Ferguson.

CHAPTER XIV

ON THE EDGE OF THE PLATEAU

Now that Ferguson was satisfied beyond doubt that Leviatt had been
concealed in the thicket above the bed of the arroyo where he had come
upon the dead Two Diamond cow, there remained but one disturbing
thought: who was the man he had seen riding along the ridge away from
the arroyo? Until he discovered the identity of the rider he must
remain absolutely in the dark concerning Leviatt's motive in concealing
the name of this other actor in the incident. He was positive that
Leviatt knew the rider, but he was equally positive that Leviatt would
keep this knowledge to himself.

But on this morning he was not much disturbed over the mystery. Other
things were troubling him. Would Miss Radford go riding with him?
Would she change her mind over night?

As he rode he consulted his silver timepiece. She had told him not to
come before ten. The hands of his watch pointed to ten thirty when he
entered the flat, and it was near eleven when he rode up to the cabin
door--to find Miss Radford--arrayed in riding skirt, dainty boots,
gauntleted gloves, blouse, and soft felt hat--awaiting him at the door.

"You're late," she said, smiling as she came out upon the porch.

If he had been less wise he might have told her that she had told him
not to come until after ten and that he had noticed that she had been
waiting for him in spite of her apparent reluctance of yesterday. But
he steered carefully away from this pitfall. He dismounted and threw
the bridle rein over Mustard's head, coming around beside the porch.

"I wasn't thinkin' to hurry you, ma'am," he said. "But I reckon we'll
go now. It's cert'nly a fine day for ridin'." He stood silent for a
moment, looking about him. Then he flushed. "Why, I'm gettin' right
box-headed, ma'am," he declared. "Here I am standin' an' makin' you
sick with my palav