Stabutch hesitated. Well, he might as well tell him—everyone would see the girl ride out with him anyway. "The girl," he said.
The headman's eyes narrowed. "The Chief say?" he asked.
"Yes. The girl thinks the white man not dead. The Chief send me to look for him."
"You take men?"
"No. Man come back with us if girl say so. Be afraid of black men. No come."
The other nodded understandingly and ordered two horses saddled and bridled. "Him dead," he offered.
Stabutch shrugged. "We see," he replied, as he led the two animals toward the hut where Jezebel awaited him.
The headman accompanied him, and Stabutch was in terror. What if the man insisted on entering the hut to see his chief? Stabutch loosened the revolver in its holster. Now his greatest fear was that the shot might attract others to the hut. That would never do. He must find some other way. He stopped and the headman halted with him.
"Do not come to the hut yet," said Stabutch.
"Why?" asked the headman.