pass itself. They must have come around south of Moreno's."

"I think not, sergeant."

The words were spoken in a very quiet voice. Drummond turned in
surprise, his foot in the stirrup, and looked at the speaker, a
keen-eyed trooper of middle age, whose hair was already sprinkled with
gray.

"Why not, Bland?"

"Because we have been along the range for nearly fifty miles below
here, sir, and haven't crossed a sign, and because I understand now
what I couldn't account for at two o'clock,--what I thought must be
imagination."

"What was that?"

"Smoke, sir, off towards the Gila, north of Ceralvo's, I should say,
just about north of west of where we are."

"Why didn't you report it?"

"You were asleep, sir, and by the time I got the glasses and looked it
had faded out entirely; but it's my belief the Indians are between us
and the river, or were over there north of Ceralvo's to-day. If not
Indians, who?"

"You ride with me, Bland. I'll talk with you further about this. Come
on with the men as soon as you have the packs ready, sergeant." And so