“I hope he isn’t going to die,” said Frank.
“So do I,” muttered Browning, sincerely. “I don’t want to have that to think about.”
When morning came Bill Higgins seemed quite strong, but his head was filled with the wildest fancies. He talked of strange things, and it was evident that his mind wandered.
Higgins did not wish to eat anything, but Isa brought him bread and coffee, and he took it from her.
“Pretty girl,” he muttered, with a gleam of reason. “Fine girl! Wonder how such a girl came to be out here on the ranch?”
In vain they waited for the appearance of the deputy and a posse. The expected did not happen.
Frank had a long talk with Bart.
“Old man,” he said, “you must come with me—you must do it! I will not take no for an answer. If Bill Higgins comes around all right in his head to-morrow he will be after you again. You must make for San Francisco and lose no time in shipping for some foreign port. After this affair blows over, you can come back.”
Frank was not satisfied till he saw Bill Higgins delivered into the hands of friends.
As for the deputy who took to flight, he met with a fatal accident while passing through the forest. Either he was swept from the back of his horse by a limb or was thrown off. Be that as it may he was found with a broken neck.