It was strange that both should have letters from the secretary of the cattle association and that both should be riding down the Sky High trail at almost the same hour.
Chapter Four
Trouble Looms
Chuck returned with the handful of dishes and laid them by the fire where the heat would dry them thoroughly.
“You dropped a letter,” said Slim. “I tossed it over on your blanket roll.”
Chuck straightened up quickly, almost too quickly, thought Slim, and stepped around the fire. The Circle Four cowboy picked up the letter, glanced at it quickly but thoroughly, and slipped it into an inner pocket.
“Thanks. It’s important, I wouldn’t want to lose it.”
“There are lots of valuable things we don’t like to lose,” said Slim. “Once in a while they disappear and we can’t seem to do much about it.” His eyes wandered over to the saddle which he had pulled off Lightning only a little more than two hours before.
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning my horse, for instance. If I’d have thought for a minute that I’d have lost Lightning when I went trailing down to help you out, I’m not so sure I’d have gone.”
“You’re not putting a whole lot of value on my life,” smiled Chuck.