“I learned that when an old jigger like Rance McCoy gives his word, it makes blood a sight thinner than water.”
“Shore; but what good will that ever do you?”
“It builds up my faith in humanity.”
“Anyway, we got yore horse, Hashknife; and that’s what we went after.”
“Which is all anybody could ask, pardner.”
And they rode on toward Arizona—satisfied—while back in Red Arrow the people wondered where they had gone. Butch Reimer returned the money, and the judge gave him few enough years for his crime. Kid Glover paid the penalty of his murders, while Langley, Fohl, and One-Eye Connell served short terms.
Rance McCoy got his money back which DuMond stole that night, and later he sold the Eagle for enough to pay him back the money he had lost on a crooked deal. Slim Caldwell resigned his office when he married Lila McCoy, and went into business with the Circle Spade, where Chuckwalla still putters around the kitchen, testing out new recipes from a cook book, which had been sent him from Arizona.
There was no mark on it to show who sent it, except on the cover, where a crudely drawn hashknife gave them a clue to the donor. Lila tore off the cover and had it framed; and it hangs over the fireplace of the Circle Spade ranch-house.
Chuck Ring is sheriff now, wishing for something to happen again. And somewhere under the sun, heading toward the next hill, ride Hashknife and Sleepy, looking into the future with a smile—following the dim trails.
THE END