“Yes, I reckon that’s some irritating,” agreed McWilliams. “But if I know him, he isn’t going to be content with sheep so long as he can take it out of a real live man.”
“Or woman,” suggested the sheepman.
“Or woman,” agreed the other. “Especially when he thinks he can cut y’u deeper by striking at her. If he doesn’t raid the Lazy D one of these nights, I’m a blamed poor prophet.”
Bannister nodded agreement. “He’s near the end of his rope. He could see that if he were blind. When we captured Bostwick and they got a confession out of him, that started the landslide against him. It began to be noised abroad that the government was going to wipe him out. Folks began to lose their terror of him, and after that his whole outfit began to want to turn State’s evidence. He isn’t sure of one of them now; can’t tell when he will be shot in the back by one of his own scoundrels for that two thousand dollars reward.”
The foreman strolled negligently to the door. His eyes drifted indolently down into the valley, and immediately sparkled with excitement.
“The signal’s out, Bann,” he exclaimed. “It’s in your window.”
The sheepman leaped to his feet and strode to the door. Down in the valley a light was gleaming in a window. Even while he looked another light appeared in a second window.
“She wants us both,” cried the foreman, running to the little corral back of the house.
He presently reappeared with two horses, both saddled, and they took the downward trail at once.
“If Miss Helen can keep him in play till we arrive,” murmured Mac anxiously.