The stockman started, and showed great interest.
“What’s that, Frank?” he exclaimed. “Old Baldy come back again, after we believed the rustlers got him? That’s some interesting news, now. The boys will be tickled to know that. And perhaps Old Baldy may help us locate Mendoza the Rustler’s secret corral!”
CHAPTER III
THE ALARM BELL
“How long has Old Baldy been gone now, dad?” asked Frank.
“All of a month, I’m positive,” replied the stockman. “Yes, I remember now that we missed a round dozen head at the time, followed their tracks for several miles, and then they seemed to disappear in the low swale back of Purple Sage Mesa. We never got a trace of them again. Some of the boys jumped to the conclusion that they were caught in that quicksand. But I never could quite believe Old Baldy would forget all his cunning like that.”
“You’ve always stuck to it that the bunch was driven off by men cunning enough to hide their trail, haven’t you, dad?” Frank continued.
“That’s what I have,” said Colonel Haywood, emphatically; “and now that you tell me the old fellow has shown up again, I’m more set on that explanation than ever.”
“There’s proof that Old Baldy has been in
other hands all this time,” remarked Frank, nodding his head convincingly.
“You mean his brand has been changed?” exclaimed the stockman, eagerly. “Perhaps that ought to tell us who took him. I hope, son, you haven’t found the Arrow brand there, nor yet the mark of the X—bar—X Syndicate? I’d hate to think any decent rancher could be guilty of such a thing, for spite!”