Stone led his pony to the north side of the "coop."
Away to the west he saw the hazy peaks. A lake of burning air pulsed above the flat, hot floor of the valley. Over there lay the hills and the shade and the road.... Somewhere beyond was Overland, his friend, penniless, hunted, hungry....
"Yes. I have seen Tenlow, the sheriff. He is willing to let you go at my request. What do you intend doing, now that you are free?"
"Oh, stick it out with Red. They'll be after him sure now. Red's my pal."
"What has he done to get the police after him?"
"Uhuh. Them guys out on the Mojave. But say, are you workin' me to get next to Red and get him pinched again?"
"No. You don't have to answer me. This man Red is nothing to me, one way or the other. He took Miss Lacharme's pony, but she has overlooked that. I thought, perhaps, you might care to explain your position. Perhaps you had rather not. You may go now if you wish."
For several tense seconds the lad gazed at his questioner. Finally his gaze shifted to the hills. "I guess you're straight," he said presently. "I guess she wouldn't have you for a relation if you wasn't straight."
The elder man laughed. "That's right--she wouldn't, young man."
"He's getting along well enough. What made you ask?"
"Oh, nothin'. I hate to see any guy get hurt."
"I'm glad to hear you say that. I begin to think you are a bigger man than he is."
"Me?" And Collie flushed, misunderstanding the other's drift. "I guess you're kiddin'."
"No, I mean it. Mr. Tenlow still seemed pretty hot about your share in this--er--enterprise. You seem to have no hard feelings against him."
"Huh! He shouldn't to be sore at _me_. I didn't spur no horse onto him and ride him down like a dog. I guess Red would 'a' killed him if he'd seen it. Say, nobody got Red, did they?"
"I haven't heard of it. How did this man Red come to pick you up? You're pretty young to be tramping."
"Cross your heart you ain't tryin' to queer Red? You ain't tryin' to put the Injun sign on us, are you?"
"No. I have heard all about the Mojave affair--the prospector that died on the track--and the arrest of Overland Red at Barstow. You told my niece that this Overland Red was 'square.' How did you come to be mixed up in it?"