But the next moment they knew that the sound was made by the men whom the trapper had secured from Blossom Range. When they came in sight they were seen to be excited citizens, half a dozen in number, accompanying an officer and the coroner, bearing with them a stretcher for the body. The baron leaped to his feet and swung his hat to direct them; but did not call. “Petter loogk oudt!” he cautioned, as they came near. “Who was that shootin’?” Nomad demanded. “We heard a rifle off hyar. Been shootin’ at somebody?” “Somepoty has peen shoodting at us!” the baron informed him. “Great gallinipers! Who was et?” “I vish dot you vouldt toldt me. Der pullet idt seems vos vor Cody; but it ditn’t git him.” “Couldn’t er been ther feller thet killed Dane?” said Nomad. “Ve tond’t know who idt vos.” The scout arose and greeted the officers and citizens. “We have found other tracks here,” he said, pointing off to the right, where the tracks were to be seen. Nomad and some of the men ran over there. “Tracks of a woman!” cried the trapper. “So we thought.” “Whar’d they come frum?” “Near the point where the body was buried,” the scout told him. “And goin’ toward town?” “Yes.” “Then thet woman must er been with ther man what downed Dane.” “It would seem so. Gentlemen, we can show you where the body lies now,” said the scout, “if you will follow us.” “Petter loogk oudt vor der man mit der gun!” the baron warned. But apparently the man with the gun had vanished; for when they set out for the spot where the body had been left, they did not see or hear him. But still another surprise awaited them, as stunning almost as the first. On reaching the spot where it had been left, the body itself had disappeared. “Whar’d yer put et?” Nomad asked, puzzled. The baron and the scout were staring dumfounded at the place where the body had last been seen. “Idt iss gone!” the baron howled. “Yumpin’ yack rappits, idt iss gone!” “It’s true, gentlemen,” the scout supplemented; “the body that we left right here has disappeared.” The thing was astounding. “More excitement baron!” Nomad yelped. “Don’t I knowed idt? I am grazy mit excidemendts.” “Yer air shore gittin’ good measure, Schnitz!” the trapper whooped. He began to look for the trail of the man who must have borne the body away. Tracks were found almost immediately--those of a man, whose shoes cut rather deeply into the ground, and made some impression even where the soil was hard; showing that he had borne a burden. There could be not a doubt that the burden was the body of Jackson Dane. “Vale, I see some daylighdts,” the baron declared; “der mans vot haf done dhis iss der same vun vot haf shoodted at Cody; I am petting on idt.” “I guess ye’re right, Schnitz,” the trapper agreed. “Now, we’ll see ef we can foller him.” Buffalo Bill put himself at the head of the excited little party, and the chase began. CHAPTER VIII.