“That, too. What I want is a man who knows something about Fire Top and his Toltecs, and the way to reach them. For I’m convinced that he, or his men, stole the child. What’s your opinion of that?”
“The stealin’ of the kid?”
“Yes. Why would he want to do it?”
“I don’t know; sacrifice, likely.”
But his voice was evasive again.
“But git me out of this, Cody,” he added, “and I’ll do what I can; I’ll try to redeem myself. And say nothing about that old Niobrara matter to Wild Bill and Nomad. They wouldn’t understand it, as you do; they’d think I hadn’t changed, and was ready to desert, or lead you into ambush, and things of that kind. Just keep that from ’em, will ye?”
Buffalo Bill nodded and stepped toward the door.
“That’s all right, Conover,” he declared. “Unless you make it necessary, I’ll say nothing to them about it.”
“You’ve never mentioned it to ’em?” came the question, in a troubled tone. “For, if you have——”
“I’ve never thought of speaking about it,” the scout asserted.