“Don’t know,â€� Teddy replied. “He was leaning against Rimor’s Place when the broncs were stolen. He must have seen them, sure! When we asked him about them, he— Well, never mind what he did. But he didn’t tell us.â€�
“Have on a checkered shirt?� Pop asked. “An’ no vest?�
“Yes,� Teddy replied in a surprised tone. “How’d you know, Pop?�
“I seen him,� was the brief answer. “He’s been stayin’ at Rimor’s. Friend of Gilly Froud’s.�
“He is?� Roy exclaimed excitedly. “Hear that, Dad?�
“I heard,� Mr. Manley said briefly. “I had an idea I’d seen him before. He rode out to the X Bar X one day and asked for Froud. When I told him Froud was ridin’ cattle, he cut back for town. Yes, I remember, now.�
As they rode along, each man kept a sharp lookout for anything that might indicate which way the rustlers had gone. There was not much chance of finding a clue until they reached Eagles, yet they could not afford to let any trace, no matter how slight, slip by unnoticed.
They saw no sign of the thieves, however, and when the six riders swung into Eagles, Mr. Manley had a determined look on his face. He had been talking to Roy and Teddy about the puncher in the checkered shirt. Deciding to locate the man if he could and to find out just how much the puncher knew of the taking of the horses, Mr. Manley stopped in front of Rimor’s.
“Goin’ in, boss?� Nick asked, a surprised look on his face. The boss was not the type of man to frequent a place like Rimor’s. All the men on the X Bar X knew he never took a drop of liquor.
“Yes, I’m goin’ in, Nick,� Mr. Manley answered, his face set in stern lines. “There’s a bucker in here that I want to talk to. I guess you all know who I mean.�