“I forgot to tell you that I received another message from him while you was away,” Bud said with a look of wonder in his eyes. “He explained in this last message that the jail officials tried their best to locate him, but he was away on a case at the time. The message was brought to me by a rider just an hour after I received the first one. He sure is a wonder and is a strange man. Here, read this last message yourself.”
“Talking about me?” an amiable voice said over their shoulder.
Both men jumped to their feet in astonishment. They were sitting in a little room used as an office of the ranch house.
“For God’s sake, Trent Burton!” Bud stared at him.
“How did you get here?”
“Why, it was very simple, I assure you,” the strange man answered blandly. “The door was partly open and I merely walked in. I repeat, were you talking about me?”
“We sure were,” Mason answered. He had recovered in a measure from his astonishment.
“Well, you know the old saying, speak of the devil and you hear his wings.”
“You must have wings at that,” Bud retorted; “what I want to know is how you arrived at this ranch so soon after wiring me?”
“First part, special train; second part, fast automobile. Fast automobile is outside this minute. Now that I have cleared myself, what has my estimable friend Ricker been doing since he broke loose? I see where I have all my work to do over again.”