“That may be,” continued Dell reflectively; “then, on the other hand, they may be hiding out in this vicinity, laying their plans to play even with Buffalo Bill and his pards, and McGowan.”
“Ye don’t think et was Bascomb an’ Bernritter thet chased you, do ye?”
“I know Bernritter wasn’t one of the two,” flashed the girl. “No mask could keep me from knowing him. This Bascomb I don’t know anything about.”
“I do,” scowled Nomad, “an’ I could tell ther whelp with er without er mask, as fur as I could see him. He wasn’t one o’ ther two as chased you, Dell. Now, aside from Jacobs, thar was on’y two whites with ther Apaches when the Three-ply Mine was set upon. So these hyar two thet was chasin’ ye, bein’ neither Bascomb ner Bernritter, couldn’t hev had nothin’ ter do with ther trouble at ther Three-ply. Golightly says, too, thet ther men who was makin’ arter you was two o’ ther three thet put him in ther b’ar-trap and hiked out with ther buckboard. Mebbyso ther third man might hev been Bernritter.”
“Faith,” spoke up Golightly, who had been intently listening, “Oi’ll take me oath it wasn’t. Oi know Bernritter some mesilf.”
“Then,” said Nomad finally, “none of these three trouble-makers had anythin’ ter do with ther Three-ply business.”
“They may be in the hire of Bascomb and Bernritter,” said Dell.
“Le’me tell ye, gal,” averred Nomad, “them two false-alarms aire on the run, an’ they ain’t goin’ ter stop runnin’ ter hire three pizen varmints ter do any underhand business eround hyar. Take my word fer it.”
“Thin whoy th’ dickens did they take th’ buckboard?” demanded Golightly. “Answer me that.”
Dell Dauntless faced about in her saddle.