Clark's ruddy face grew pale at Bill's sinister suggestion.
"If he overheard, he knows enough to send us all to jail," prompted Bill.
"That's right, too. Do you think you could——"
Clark hesitated, as if the thought his mind held was too dreadful for him to voice.
"Bring him down, you mean?" inquired Bill cheerfully. "Don't know. We're hitting up a hot pace for good shooting."
"Say, Bill, I think you are the most cold-blooded fellow I ever met."
"Oh, I'm cool, all right, in such a case as this," rejoined Bill. "Hark!"
Both drew rein for a second and listened. The beat of hoofs in front of them suddenly slackened. So near was the sound that it seemed as if it could not have been more than a few feet ahead.
"Right through that brush there!" whispered Clark, and hot as the day was, he shivered as if stricken with a sudden fever.
Bill Bender coolly raised his rifle. He deliberately aimed it into the leafy screen. The next instant its deafening report rang out. It was followed by a loud crash from beyond the bushes, as if some heavy body had fallen.