was thirty at the most, from the station so far behind the mountains.

"But--Mr. Van can't walk so far as that," she said. "I'm sure I don't
see what----"

She was interrupted by the reappearance of Van himself.

"Isn't there a horse on the place?" he asked his partners collectively.
"What have you done with the sorrel?"

Gettysburg arose. "Loaned him to A. C., yistiddy," said he. "But the
outlaw's on the job."

"Not Vesuvius?" Van replied incredulously. "You don't mean to say he's
turned up again unslaughtered?"

"Cayuse here roped him, up to Cedar flat," imparted Gettysburg.
"Cornered him there in natural corral and fetched him home fer fun."

Napoleon added: "But Cayuse ain't been on board, you bet. He likes
something more old-fashioned than Suvy. Split my bowsprit, I wouldn't
tow no horse into port which I was afraid to board. When I was bustin'
bronchos I liked 'em to be bad."

"Yes," agreed Gettysburg, "so bad they couldn't stand up."

A bright glitter came for a moment in Van's blue eyes.

"If Suvy's the only equine paradox on the place, he and I have got to
argue things out this afternoon," he said, "but I'll have my dinner