Fred had just reached the camp wagon, when Dan’s revolver was heard. Brownie’s sufferings were over; this was the one comforting thought that echoed through his brain through the long gloomy night.
Jim and Dan planned to get the boys to “chip in” and buy Fred another saddle horse; but before they could put their generous thoughts into execution, both of them were sent with the beef steers to the shipping point, three days’ drive away. When they returned, Fred had left the ranch. No one knew where he had gone.
It happened in this way. He was sitting out on the corral fence one day with Cap Hanks and Dick, when suddenly the foreman turned on Dick and asked, “Have you been ropin’ any cattle around this ranch?”
“No,” said Dick, a little confused.
“Well, some one has,” said the foreman, “for Jim found one of the blooded heifers up the creek strangled to death with this rope on, and he says that the string belongs to you.”
“Don’t know a damned thing about it,” said Dick. “The rope ain’t mine, that’s dead sure.”
“Well, Teddy, it’s up to you. Is this your lasso?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“Then you roped the heifer?”
“No, sir, I didn’t.”