"They had been partners, stealing and running cattle. Dupont had cheated Hughes out of his share, and there was bad blood between them. I ran across the fellow up on the Cimarron, waiting for Dupont to come back to his old range. Did you ever hear Dupont called by any other name?"
She shook her head questioningly.
"No; was n't that his real name? The woman back there—wasn't she his wife?"
"She was his wife, yes; but their name was not Dupont. That was assumed; the correct one was Le Fevre."
"Le Fevre! Why,—why, wasn't that the name of the man you told me about once?—the officer who brought you those orders?"
"He is the same. I did not know him at Dodge; not until Hughes told me. He had changed greatly in appearance, and I only saw him at night. But it was because I knew that I failed to kill him here; I wanted him alive, so I could compel him to tell the truth."
She gave a little sob, her hands clasped together. The man's voice softened, and he took a step nearer, bending above her.
"And yet now I do not care quite as much as I did."
She looked up quickly into his face, and as swiftly lowered her lashes.
"You mean you have found other evidence?"