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Calumet determined to cut across the country and intercept him, and he drove the spurs into Blackleg and raced him through the wood. His trail took him into a section which led to the slope which the horses drawing the wagon had taken on the night of the ambush. He was tearing through this when he broke through the edge of a clearing about a quarter of a mile from the ranchhouse.
He got only one conclusion out of them that for some mysterious reason he had surrendered to Betty and was going to work to repair the ranchhouse. On the morning following his visit to Lazette he sat on a piece of heavy timber which he and Dade had lifted a few minutes before to some saw-horses preparatory to framing.
He had decided that Trevison had swung off the Bar B trail somewhere between Manti and the ranchhouse, and he led his deputies back to town, content to permit his men to continue the search for Trevison, for he was convinced that the latter's visit to the courthouse had resulted in disappointment, for he had faith in Judge Lindman's declaration that he had destroyed the record.
The ranchhouse was a big two-story structure built of heavy timber, with porches in front and rear, and wide cornices, all painted white and set on a solid foundation of stone. It looked spacious and comfortable. The other buildings stables, bunkhouse, messhouse, blacksmith shop, and several others did not discredit the ranchhouse. They all were in good repair.
Pierre threw the saddle over his shoulder and walked eight miles to the nearest ranchhouse, where he spent practically the last cent of his money on another horse, and drove on south once more. There was little hope in him as day after day slipped past.
He had waited patiently until the morning following his conversation with Langford about Dakota, certain that the Double R owner would speak, but when after breakfast the next morning Langford had ridden away without breaking his silence, the manager had gone into the ranchhouse, secured his field glasses, mounted his pony, and followed.
There was a clatter of hoofs from the direction of the ranchhouse. Both men turned to confront a horseman who was coming rapidly toward them, and as he came closer Toban cried out in surprise: "Ed Bernse!" he said; "what in thunder are you doin' here?" "Trailin' a jail breaker!" said the latter. "That copper-skinned weazel we had in there slipped out some way.
An' me tryin' to jam some sense into his head." Grinning, Linton sauntered away, vanishing within the blacksmith-shop. He had hardly disappeared when Haydon appeared from around a corner of the ranchhouse, at about the instant Harlan, sensing the departure of Linton, came to the door, frowning.
"If the repairs on the ranchhouse were not finished by this time you would not be reading this," began a letter drawn from a tightly sealed envelope Betty had given Calumet after he and Dade had completed the painting.
And when she heard the black come into the ranchhouse yard she knew the black's gait already she trembled a little, put aside her mending, and went to the window. The moon threw a white light in the yard, and she saw Calumet dismount.
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