‘I know,’ nodded Dave. ‘I kinda hate to go ahead and hire a crew until this thing is all settled up, but I reckon I might as well. To-morrow I’ll go down to Cañonville and have a talk with a lawyer. He can fix it all up for me, and in the meantime, I’ll ride down to the Lane place and have a talk with them two fellers. I don’t quite sabe what they’re doin’ around here, and it might be a good scheme to have ’em where we know what they’re doin’.’
‘You don’t think they’re in here to pull anythin’ crooked, do yuh, Dave?’ asked Ed.
‘Quien sabe? They’re shore backin’ the Lane family, and I might be doin’ the law a favor by hirin’ ’em away from the Lane ranch. You can stay here, Ed. Mebby yuh better ride back to the ranch and get Red to come over with yuh. Move yore stuff over. I’ll stay at the Flyin’ M with Cal until I get things fixed up. And I’ll see if I can rustle a cook for here.’
That same morning Hashknife had been doing considerable thinking about the dead horse they had found; so he decided to ride to Cañonville and have a talk with the sheriff. Nan wanted to send some clean clothes to the jail; so Sleepy decided to go along. With both of the Lanes in jail, there was nothing for Nan to be worried about, as far as the 6X6 was concerned. Anyway, Rex would stay.
After they went away he investigated the Navajo rug, and found it practically dry. He carried it up beside the house and proceeded to hammer the dirt out of it. Armed with a section of broomhandle he beat industriously, and was so engaged when Dave Morgan rode up.
Rex was a bit apprehensive when he saw who the rider was, but Dave’s grin was reassuring.
‘Cleanin’ house?’ he asked, glancing at the rug.
‘Not exactly,’ said Rex, wiping the perspiration off his nose. ‘Mr. Hartley discovered this rug in the creek yesterday. I doubt that I shall ever be able to beat the dirt out of it.’
‘Found it in the creek, eh?’
‘Yes. Queer, isn’t it? Looks like a good rug. It has a very distinctive pattern, don’t you think?’