"Yes. He has disappeared, too—evidently frightened away."
Jones was amazed. "Say, Dave," he cried, "that means your case has blown up, eh?"
"Absolutely. Lewis has been selling 'wet' stock to the Federals, and he probably arranged with some of them to murder Ricardo. At any rate, that's my theory."
Blaze cursed eloquently. "I'd like to hang it on to Tad; I'd sure clean house down his way if I was positive."
"I sent a man over to Romero," Dave explained further. "He tells me Ricardo is dead, all right; but nobody knows how he died, or why. There's a new grave in the little cemetery above the town, but nobody knows who's buried in it. There hasn't been a death in Romero lately." The speaker watched his friend closely. "Ricardo's family would like to have his body, and I'd like to see it myself. Wouldn't you? We could tell just what happened to him. If he really faced a firing-squad, for instance—I reckon Washington would have something to say, eh?"
"What are you aimin' at?" Blaze inquired.
"If we had Ricardo's body on this side it would put an end to all the lies, and perhaps force Colonel Blanco to make known the real facts. It might even mean a case against Tad Lewis. What do you think of my reasoning?"
"It's eighteen karat. What d'you say we go over there and get Ricardo?"
Dave smiled. "That's what I've been leading up to. Will you take a chance?"
"Hell, yes!"