"Wal, I reckon; what sort of a chap do you take me for?"
"Where is Weber?"
"Three miles to the south, which is in t'other direction; we won't have time to look him up, and it wouldn't do any good if we did. We made a change of grazing grounds, as I s'pose Fred told you, but some of the cattle strayed off here and I was looking 'em up when I heard your pony."
"Where's your horse?"
"Not far; wait here and I'll be right back."
He was gone but a few minutes, when he returned in the saddle.
"It won't do to go too fast," he explained, moving forward with his animal on a walk, "but we can keep beside each other."
Riding thus carefully, he questioned her about the stirring incidents at the house, and she gave him the particulars. The sagacious fellow had seen before this how matters stood between her and Monteith Sterry, and he knew her anxiety, but his good taste prevented any reference to it further than to say:
"I hope Mont will be too wise to try to slip out of the house, for if he does he's sure to be grabbed up by them, and they won't give him a chance for his life."
"Do you think he will make the attempt, Budd?"