"No," Drew answered. "But what do you suggest doin' about it, Sergeant?"
"Got anybody in town as will speak up for you, Kirby? Reese Topham? He did before."
"He doesn't know any more than what he said right then. Trouble is, Sergeant, anybody I could ask to back me up I'd have to bring out from Kentucky--and I don't believe Captain Bayliss would wait for that."
"Hunt Rennie has nothing to do with this. He didn't know those horses were on the Range----"
Muller made a lightning about-face. He snapped to attention facing the captain.
"Prisoner bein' fed, sir!" Muller reported stolidly.
"And there is no need for conversation. Dismissed, Sergeant!"
The captain watched Muller leave before he turned once more to Drew. "Kirby, do you know the penalty for horse stealing in this country?" he snapped.
"Then you must know just what you have to face."
"Captain ..." Drew began slowly, wanting to make his words just right. There was no reason to let Bayliss think he could simply ride right over his prisoner. On the other hand Muller's advice had been good; it would be dangerous to antagonize the officer. "I had nothing to do with those stolen horses. We found them, yes, but they were already in the canyon. And there were two men guardin' them--up on the ridge. They must have cleared out when your patrol rode in, but they were there the night before."
"What scout--that Indian who got away with your partner? I heard rumors that Kitchell had links with bronco Apaches, but I didn't believe any white man could stoop so low."
"That Indian"--Drew felt as if he were walking a very narrow mountain ledge in the dark, with a drop straight down to the middle of the world on one side--"was a Pima, one of the Stronghold scouts."
"So--Hunt Rennie _did_ know about those horses!" Bayliss pounced.
"He did not! He sent us to the mustanger camp with a message, and the Pima rode scout for us. It's a regular order on the Range--take one of the Pimas if you are goin' any distance from where you can fort up. You can find out that's true easily enough." Drew was striving to keep a reasonable tone, to find an answer which _must_ pierce through Bayliss' rancor. After all, Bayliss could not have held his present rank and station so long and been all hot-headed plunger.