“Anything happen?” he asked anxiously.
“Something tried to happen,” said Chuck grimly. “This is no place for a sick man to try to get well. We’ve got to get Mr. Marks back to the ranch and get him there at once.”
“This is my pardner, Chuck Meade,” said Slim, introducing his companion and the range boss of the Box B.
“Glad to know you,” said Chuck, as he shook Joe Haines’ hand with real warmth.
“Hear you’ve signed on to work with us and I’m glad of it. We need all the good boys we can get.”
The foreman hurried on into the office and Slim and Chuck had an opportunity to talk alone.
“What happened?” Slim asked eagerly.
“You mean what didn’t quite happen? Well, it was about half an hour after you left and I was still trying to wake up when I heard someone creeping along outside the front of the office. We had all of the curtains pulled down but it was so hot we had to leave the door open. I blew out the lamp and jumped through the doorway. In the darkness I stumbled and when I got up the hombre that had been trying to do the sneak act was running down the street past the hotel. I let him have a few slugs to stir things up, but I missed him.”
“You think he was after Marks?”
“I know it. Here’s what I found outside this morning. The fellow was in such a hurry he dropped it.”