Scipio nodded. He saw the man’s drift, and thought it quite splendid of him.
“Now, I got to spy out things,” the man went on, “an’ if you get right up ther’ first it’ll likely upset things fer me––you goin’ ther’ to hold him up as it were.” His smile was more pronounced. “Now I guess I’ll show you where his lay-out is if you’ll sure give me your promise to let me hunt around fer ha’f-an-hour around his corrals––’fore you butt in. Then I’ll get right back to you an’ you can go up, an’––shoot him to hell, if you notion that fancy.”
Scipio almost beamed his thanks. The man’s kindness seemed a noble thing to him.
“You’re a real bully fellow,” he said. “Guess we’ll start right now?”
The man turned and his shrewd eyes fixed themselves piercingly on the little man’s face.
“Yes,” he said shortly, “we’ll get on.”
He led the way, his horse slightly in advance of the mare, and for some time he made no attempt to break the silence that had fallen. The twilight was rapidly passing into the deeper shadows of night, but he rode amongst the hills as though he were traveling a broad open trail. There was no hesitation, no questioning glance as to his direction. He might have been traveling a trail that he had been accustomed to all his life. At last, however, he glanced round at his companion.
“Say, what you goin’ to do when––you get there?” he asked.
“Fetch my wife back,” replied Scipio earnestly.
“What’ll James be doin’?”