Hashknife had never studied the smuggling game, but he knew that the smugglers were as desperate as rustlers or outlaws of any other description.
Big Medicine did not comment on the fact that their star invalid was missing. Lucy had explained why she had sent him to town—which Big Medicine had told her to do, in case he talked with Wanna again—and the explanation was satisfactory to Big Medicine.
Wanna said nothing. She did not understand why Jack had been sent from the ranch. Hashknife was curious to find out her opinion, but she shook her head sadly and went about her work.
Big Medicine and Hashknife spent the evening on the front steps of the ranch-house, smoking and talking about Hawk Hole. In an offhand way Hashknife mentioned Jim Reed.
“Did you see him today?” asked Big Medicine.
“Yeah,” smiled Hashknife. “I mentioned the fact that you threw him out on his ear.”
Big Medicine smoked slowly, thoughtfully.
“He used to come out here real often,” he said. “I liked him. Jim owned a mine back in the Greenhorns, and I was going to buy a half interest. I had seen it and tested the ore. That package which was stolen from the stage was the money to buy a half interest in that mine, Hartley.
“It looked like a good proposition to me. I was to take half interest, and between us we were going to put up a stamp mill. Jim was to come out, fix up the papers, and then leave for the outside to buy the machinery. I was leaving it all to him.
“The day before the money was due, I met a prospector from the Greenhorns.” Big Medicine knocked the dottle from his pipe and began filling it again. “From that prospector I learned that Jim Reed never owned a mine. He was merely showing me another man’s property, going to sell me a half interest in something he did not own. And he was going to take my money, leave me a worthless piece of paper, and never come back to Hawk Hole again.