work. Maybe he gave out there was to be no killing. He was at the ranch
himself, big as coffee, so as to be sure of his alibi."

"What does he care about an alibi? When he gets ready to go gunnin'
after Keller he won't care if the whole Malpais sees him. There's
something in this I don't _sabe_."

"There sure is. We've got to run the thing down _muy pronto_. No use
both of us going ahead without arms, Phil. My notion is this: You burn a
shuck back to the Frying Pan and round up some of our friends on the
q.t. Don't let Brill get a notion of what's in the air. Better make
straight for Gregory's Pass. I'm going to follow this trail we've cut
and see what's doing. Once I find out I'll double back to the Pass and
meet you. Bring along an extra gun for me."

"I don't reckon I will, Jim. What's the matter with me going on instead
of you? I can follow this trail good as you can. I announce right here
that I'm not going back. I've got first call on this job. Keller went
into the fire after me. I'm going to follow this trail to hell if I have
to."

Yeager tried persuasion, argument, appeal. The lad was as fixed as
Gibraltar.

"I'm not going to go buttin' in where I'm not wanted any more than you
would, Jim. I'll play this hand out with a cool head, but I'm going to
play it my ownself."

"All right. It's your say-so. I'll admit you've got a claim. But you
want to remember one thing--if anything happens to you I cayn't square