“Ralph Dodson in town?”
“No. Virginia.”
This was one piece of good news. With the younger mine owner absent he would have one less enemy to contend with, and the most dangerous of the three. For Ralph was game, audacious, and brainy. It would hardly have been possible to get the killer out of Piodie with young Dodson running the campaign for him.
“I’m goin’ up after him,” Hugh said quietly.
“With that gang round him?”
“Maybe I’ll catch him alone.”
“And maybe not.” Byers stepped to the wall and took down from a peg a belt to which was attached a revolver. He strapped on the belt.
“No, Dan,” Hugh told him. “I’m playin’ a lone hand. My only chance is to lie low and surprise Dutch before he knows I’m within a hundred miles.”
“Hmp! What if he surprises you?”
“I’ll be Number Sixteen. But he won’t. I’m goin’ to take him back to Carson.”