But after due deliberation, Rex decided that the horse knew more about the roads than he did; so let the horse decide. And so he rode along through the night, expecting at any time to reach Mesa City, when he suddenly found himself faced by the bulky outlines of a big gate.
It seemed that beyond this gate he could see the dim outlines of a house, but he could not be sure. He slid off the horse, swung the gate open, and led the animal toward the house, intending to find out, if possible, where he was, before going any farther.
It was a house, and as Rex drew nearer he saw a man come toward him. He could not see very plainly. The man came close to him, asking him what he wanted, and before Rex could reply something crashed down on his head, and his consciousness went out in a blaze of fireworks.
Several hours later, Bert Roddy and Spike Cahill came back to the 6X6, and on the way they picked up the horse Rex had ridden. It was between the ranch and the main road. Spike looked it over by the light of a match, and found it to be a horse that the 6X6 had sold to Bunty Smith.
‘Somebody’s been ridin’ it with a work-bridle and a rope reins,’ he told Bert. ‘I reckon we better pick him up, and turn him back to Bunty.’
They found Napoleon Bonaparte Briggs and Dell Bowen asleep in the bunk-house, woke them up rudely and were cursed for their pains.
‘Now that we know all about our ancestors, mebby we better hit the hay,’ chuckled Spike. ‘She’s been a large evenin’, Bertram Roddy, Esquire.’
‘And to be forgotten,’ reminded Bert.
CHAPTER VI: SHIFTING THE EVIDENCE
It was daylight when Rex Morgan awoke. He was conscious of a dull headache, the strong odor of liniment, and of the fact that he was in a bed. He shifted his eyes and looked around the living-room of the Lane home, which was unfamiliar to him. Then he turned his head slightly and looked toward a window, where Nan Lane was standing, looking through the window.