“There’s a few more, but we’ll round them up in time.”
“I’ve got a score to settle with one of them,” said Chuck, relating briefly how he had been held captive. He was especially incensed at his treatment at the hands of the masked man who had accompanied Hack Cook on the visit of the Diamond Dot owner to the hideout where he had been held captive.
“I’m going to find out who that fellow was,” went on Chuck.
“I think I know,” put in Slim, “but if you can get Cook to tell you, so much the better.”
They bent over the rustler, who was now thoroughly aware of his dangerous situation. Slim tore off a piece of Cook’s shirt and bound up the shoulder wound.
“Give me a drink of water,” the rustler begged.
“Not on your life,” snapped Chuck. “You fellows didn’t treat me any too well. I want to know the name of the hombre that was with you.”
Cook’s face whitened, but his lips tensed and he only shook his head.
“So that’s the way it is,” said Chuck grimly. “Believe me, you’re going to talk.”
The Circle Four cowboy took the rope off his saddle and deftly slipped a noose around Cook’s shoulders.