CHAPTER XIII
AT THE BRANDING
Russ did not answer for a moment, but kept on beside the manager through the long corridor that led to the dining hall. Then, just as the two entered the room, Russ said:
"I reckon, as they say out here—I reckon, Mr. Pertell, that you're thinking the same thing I am."
"What's that, Russ?"
"That maybe those International fellows are still on our trail."
"That's what I do think, Russ. Though how they got out here ahead of us is more than I can tell."
"It would be easy enough. They learned we were coming here, and just took a short cut. We've been on the road quite a while."
"That must be it, Russ. But you say you had a glimpse of the fellow who took the camera off the bench. You didn't know him; did you?"
"Never saw him before, as far as I could tell. But there are a lot of camera operators nowadays, so that isn't strange. The International firm could hire anyone and send him on here to try and steal some of the scenes we're depending on. He could pose as a cowboy, too."