Bucky cut in sharply with a question. “Did he? How do you know he disappeared _with_ her? Why not _after?_ That’s the theory my mind is groping on just now.” “That’s a blind trail to me. Why _after?_ And what difference does it make?” “All the difference in the world. If he left after the cook, you have been doing him an injustice for fifteen years, seh.” Mackenzie leaned forward, excitement burning in his eyes. “Prove that, young man, and I’ll thank you to the last day of my life. It’s for my wife’s sake more than my own I want my little girl back. She jes’ pines for her every day of her life. But for my friend—if you can give me back the clean memory of Dave you’ll have done a big thing for me, Mr. O’Connor.” “It’s only a working theory, but this is what I’m getting at. You and Henderson had arranged to take an early start on a two days’ deer hunt next mo’ning. That’s what you told me, isn’t it?” “We were to start about four. Yes, sir.” “Well, let’s suppose a case. Along comes Dave before daybreak, when the first hooters were beginning to call. Just as he reaches your ranch he notices a horse slipping away in the darkness. Perhaps he hears the little girl cry out. Anyhow, instead of turning in at the gate, he decides to follow. Probably he isn’t sure there’s anything wrong, but when he finds out how the horse he’s after is burning the wind his suspicions grow stronger. He settles down to a long chase. In the darkness, we’ll say, he loses his man, but when it gets lighter he picks up the trail again. The tracks lead south, across the line into Mexico. Still he keeps plodding on. The man in front sees him behind and gets scared because he can’t shake him off. Very likely he thinks it is you on his track. Anyhow, while the child is asleep he waits in ambush, and when Henderson rides up he shoots him down. Then he pushes on deeper into Chihuahua, and proceeds to lose himself there by changing his name.” “You think he murdered Dave?” The cattleman got up and began to pace up and down the floor. “I think it possible.”