'Well, yu ain't got any, but the rest of us has downed 'bout ten,' was the answer.
For once his friend ignored an insult. 'There's more'n twice that number layin' out there an' some of 'em is movin',' Jed asserted.
'Creased an' tryin' to crawl clear,' Dumpy suggested.
'They wouldn't come this way,' Jed objected. 'No, sir, dropped off'n their broncs an' playin' dead so's they can sneak in an' rush us, that's what. The jigger with the eagle feather in his top-knot is five yards nearer than when I spotted him. I'm savin' him the trouble o' pertendin'.'
Raising his rifle he pulled the trigger and they saw the brown body jerk convulsively, struggle, and flop back.
'Who fired?' Jeff asked sharply. 'Wanta kill 'em twice over?'
Ere Jed could explain, the supposed corpses did it for him, seven or eight of the nearest scrambling to their feet and sprinting for their lives, zigzagging to escape the bullets the cowboys sent after them. Several were bowled over but the others regained their comrades.
'Good for yu, Jed,' Eden called out. 'I'm rememberin' it. I reckon they won't try that trick again.'
As though they had been awaiting the result of this ruse, the Apaches began to show signs of fresh activity, massing together in readiness for another charge. Two rifles spoke from the opposing side of the trail and a brave toppled to the ,;round, while another jumped clear of his staggering pony.
'Well done, Jim an' Sandy,' the foreman cried.
'yu figure it's them?' the cattleman asked.
'I'm damn shore,' Jeff said stoutly. 'If we git clear o' this it's them yu gotta thank, like it or not.'
The savages were hesitating, the attack from the rear seemed to be bothering them. They were now galloping to and Fro, jabbering, gesturing, apparently discussing what action they should take. The matter was to be decided for them. From behind a hillock up the trail a band of more than a dozen riders emerged, spurring their mounts madly, and firing as they came.
At the sight of this reinforcement, the Indians, already discouraged by the resistance of the cowboys and the toll thetwo hidden marksmen were taking, broke and fled. With shouts and wild oaths the new-comers followed, ruthlessly shooting down the runaways. Their leader only did not join in the pursuit. Wheeling his horse, he rode to where the rancher was standing, and got down.
'Well, Eden, I reckon we didn't come any too soon,' he said.
'I'd liefer yu hadn't come a-tall--we could 'a' beat 'em off without yu,' the old man ungraciously retorted. 'If * yo're lookin' for thanks yo're liable to be disappointed.'
'I ain't,' Rogue returned dryly. 'But if yu warn't needin' me, why send?'
'I never did. If Sands came to yu--'
'It warn't Sands,' the outlaw interposed. 'A little runt of a fella, dressed in deerskin an' wearin' moccasins ; looked like a forest-runner.'
'Ain't seen him,' the rancher snapped. 'I naturally figured Green would use his side-kick.'
'So it was his idea, huh?' Rogue said reflectively, and chuckled. 'It would be, o' course. Where is he?'
'I dunno, an' I care less,' Eden told him. 'I set 'em adrift when I learned they belong to yu.'
'They don't--I wish they did,' Rogue admitted. 'I could use 'em, but it looks like they're still workin' for the S E.'
'Waitin' for a chance to carry out yore orders an' drill me again, I s'pose?' the cattleman sneered.
'I'd no hand in that, Eden ; it's not my way,' the outlaw said sternly. His face hardened. 'I could take yore herd right now if I wanted.'
'yu could take a slug through the gizzard now if I wanted,' the old man growled, gripping his rifle suggestively.
Rogue looked at him in grim amusement. 'An' what would that buy yu? My men, mebbe, ain't got my respect for youth an' beauty.'
He removed his hat and bowed, either in real or pretended politeness, as Carol--anxious about her father-- appeared. Baudry, who had apparently been to fetch her, was just behind. His eyes met those of the bandit leader for one brief instant -but his face was devoid of expression.
In twos and threes the rescuers were returning, whooping triumphantly, some of them waving ghastly trophies from which the blood dripped redly. They grouped themselves behind Rogue, their cruel, reckless faces alight with the lust of slaughter. The cowboys too rallied round their boss ; they did not like the attitude of these men who had come to their aid. Rogue alone seemed unconscious of any tension.
'We seem fated to meet in unpleasant circumstances, Miss Eden,' he said easily, aware that by speaking to her he was rubbing the rancher on a raw place.
'My daughter don't wanta talk to a rustler,' Eden said.
The girl gazed reproachfully at her angry parent. 'He came to our assistance,' she reminded. Her eyes widened as she saw that Rogue's wrist was torn. 'you are hurt,' she went on. 'I've some bandages here--I got them ready, in case....'
'It's on'y a graze--not worth fussin' over,' the outlaw muttered.
But Carol insisted, and Rogue's eyes regarded her curiously as she deftly bound up the wound.
'I'm obliged,' he said gruffly.
'I got a scratch too,' Navajo put in, his evil, leering gaze on the girl.
Rogue spun round. 'Get to hell outa this,' he hissed and before the deadly menace in tone and look the half- breed fell back.
The outlaw leader stepped into his saddle. 'Well, so long, Eden,' he said. 'We'll be seem' yu. If yu bump into any more trouble, send, an' we'll come a-runnin'. This time we couldn't help ourselves ; next time, mebbe we'll be able to.'
With this meaning jest he signed to his men and rode away, indifferent to the threatening growls which greeted it.
Chapter XXIII
THE herd went on, leaving behind one of the oblong heaps of rock which were only too frequent on the western trails. The rancher was hard to live with during the ensuing days. The loss of one of his men had depressed him ; he became moody, savage. The very thought that he had been placed under an obligation to one he despised as an outlaw, who made no secret of his intention to rob him, filled the old frontiersman with fury. He was troubled too with odd doubts in the matter of Green and Sandy.
Baudry also was far from happy, for Carol avoided him as much as possible, and was coldly courteous when she could not. But this, though it put a raw edge on his vanity, was not what most concerned him. It was several days after the Indian attack that he made an opportunity to speak with Dutt alone.
'Well, Monte, yu ain't lookin' too peart,' was the greeting he received. 'What's disturbin' yore rosy dreams?'
'I've told you not to use that name,' the gambler growled. 'So you are satisfied with the situation, eh?'
'Shore I am. Rogue has got this outfit where we want it, an' with those two cowboys in the discard, it looks like pie to me.'
'Unless Rogue keeps the cows and sells them himself.'
'At that, we're on velvet. Eden's busted an' we get the S E.'
'And that damned outlaw picks up fifty thousand dollars or more. No, Davy, I'm not standing for that. I offered to take those cows at five a head and I'm going to have them. There's another danger, the damn fool is turning soft. Did you see his face when Carol tied his wrist up?'
'He certainly didn't seem to enjoy it as much as--yu might --for instance.'
'Enjoy it? That was torture for him, it fetched back his past and showed him where he had dropped to. I don't suppose a good woman has stretched out a hand to him for years. She played a big card then, though she didn't know it. I was watching him and I tell you I wouldn't be surprised if he let Eden keep his cows for her sake.'
Dutt was plainly incredulous. 'Rogue's too tough to fall for a skirt,' he said. 'An' his men wouldn't let him ; we can see to it that they don't.'
The gambler nodded. 'Tell Rollitt to find Navajo and warn him. Rogue must steal the herd. Afterwards--we
