Roger started after them, hot foot, swearing viciously as he ran. As he saw the little German turn into the ranch trail a sudden fear for the two girls mingled with his anger. But Von Minden did not stop at the ranch house. As Roger reached the alfalfa field, burro and man veered to the right, around the adobe and rapidly on up the mountain trail, where they were quickly lost to view.
Roger saw Charley come hastily out of the house, followed by Felicia and when, panting and shaken with rage, he reached the house, they were still looking curiously toward the mountain trail.
"What's the trouble, Roger?" called Charley.
"He shot at me, the damned hound! Tried to kill me!"
He would have passed on up the mountain trail, but Charley had hurried down the trail and interrupted him quietly, with a steady hand on his arm.
"It's only Crazy Dutch!" she said. "You mustn't mind him!"
"Mind him!" shouted Roger. "I tell you he tried to kill me."
"You should have kept his gun for him until he was ready to go. That's what we always do. And as for his taking a pot shot at you, why, that's all in the day's work in this part of the country."
She smiled as she spoke, looking levelly into his eyes from her splendid height. Felicia caught his sleeve.
"We were coming down to call on you, Roger, and now you've spoiled it," she said.