“Yes; I had a dread that your coming with me as far as you did might get you into trouble, so I turned back to dog your steps, unseen by you, and see you enter your ranch in safety.” “How glad am I that you did, señor!” “I was not very far behind you, nearer you than I thought, for you must have slackened your speed, and I distinctly heard the voice of your captor. “I instantly sprang from my saddle, and, advancing on foot, realized that you had been captured, and I saw one man, but took the chances of there being more. “As he was an outlaw, I thought it best to put him out of the way.” “God bless you,” was all the ranchero could at first say. But he soon conquered his emotion and told just what his captor had said to him. Buffalo Bill listened attentively, and then said abruptly: “This man was sent to kidnap you?” “Yes.” “Is he alone?” “Yes.” “His being there shows that he saw you leave your home, was watching your return, shadowing you in fact.” “No doubt of it, señor.” “Well, I wish you to be guided by me in this matter.” “I will.” “Say nothing, even to your wife, of this attack on you to-night. I mean that no one must know of this attack on you, señor.” “But why, Señor Cody?” “This man was sent to do this work. If he does not return to report, they will not know what has become of him, for I shall strap his body upon his horse, which must be near, take the animal to the lake, lead him in, and thence along the shore in the water to a spot near my ranch. “I will search the body for any telling articles there may be on it, and will hide away his saddle and bridle.” “But the horse, señor?” “I will give him into the keeping of my men for a day, and after they have branded him and disguised him, his own master, if alive, would not know him, and one of them will ride him, so he will not go back to his home, at least, not just now.” “You know what you are about, Señor Cody?” “I hope so. Now we will find that horse, mount his master on him, and I’ll lead him back through the timber, not in the trail.” “And your horse, señor?” “Is trained, señor, and will keep always in the trail as I start him until we reach the lake shore, and there I will mount him.” “What will this dead man’s comrades think?” “In my opinion they will track him, find his trail leading here, then back to the lake, where they will lose it. “They will see that your horse was halted here, remained for some time, and the tracks will reveal that two men were here, their comrade and you. They will take my footprints for yours, so you must not dismount. “But when I have removed the body, you must move your horse about all over the spot, to mark out all traces of where it lay, for the ground is soft, I notice, beneath my feet. Then you go on homeward, and continue to gallop until you get there.” “But that will not explain that dead man’s absence?” “Yes, for they will believe that, being alone, when he captured you, why you simply bribed him to let you go.”