“Don’t you worry about Neil, Bucky,” he advised gently. “It was York shot Reilly, after York had cut loose at him, and I shouldn’t wonder if that didn’t save your life. Neil has got to stand the gaff for what he’s done, but I’ll pull wires to get his punishment made light.”
“Killed Reilly, did he?” repeated O’Connor. “I got Anderson back there.”
“That makes only one left to account for. I wonder who he is?” Collins turned absent-mindedly to Neil. The latter looked at him out of an expressionless face. Even though his confederate had proved traitor he would not betray him.
“I wonder,” he said.
Bucky laughed. “Made a mistake that time, Val.”
“I plumb forgot the situation for a moment,” the sheriff grinned. “Anyhow, we better be hittin’ his trail.”
“How about Phil?” Neil suggested.
“That’s right. One of us has ce’tainly got to go back and attend to him.”
“You and Neil go back. I’ll follow up this gentleman who is escaping,” the ranger said.
And so it was arranged. The two men returned from their grim work of justice to the place where the outlaw chief had been left. His eyes lit feebly at sight of them.