“How do you mean?” flared McGowan. “Why, in order to secure my aid, you might have been tempted to implicate my Dutch pard.” McGowan’s “Irish” was up in a moment. “If you think that----” he began angrily, but the scout smiled and stretched out a hand soothingly. “I don’t,” said he. “I’ve only seen you twice, but I’m willing to bank on your integrity. You’re the sort of a man I’d like to help.” McGowan was entirely pacified. The king of scouts had a winning way with him, when he so desired, and that way was now much in evidence. “I’d think it an honor,” said McGowan, “to have Buffalo Bill help me.” “I’ll do it, on one consideration only.” “And that is?” “That you consent to let the sheriff take those irons off my pard’s wrists. In other words, he must be a free man before I hook-up with you.” “That’s hardly according to Hoyle,” demurred McGowan, visibly worried. “It’s according to Buffalo Bill. You have my proposition. Take it or leave it.” “Why, if your pard is left in this jail and brought to trial, you’ll have to work for me in order to prove his innocence, won’t you?” “I’ll not work for you, McGowan, but I’ll work for him. You’d find that to be vastly different.” “You’d better do as the scout says, McGowan,” put in Rising. “If he’s going to help you, you’d better let him do it in his own way. Catching a man with the goods on doesn’t always prove him a thief.” “I don’t know who to suspect,” said McGowan, “if we don’t suspect the Dutchman.” “I do,” said the scout. “Who?” demanded McGowan. “Never mind that. What’s your last word?” McGowan debated the matter with himself for a moment. Then, finally, “Take off the darbies,” he said to Rising. The manacles were removed, and Rising shook hands with the baron. “I haf peen imbosed ubon,” said the baron, “und I feel schust like some hornets mit a shtinger oudt. Puffalo Pill iss my pard, und der pest feller vat efer vore shoe-ledder; he shtands py me, you bed you, aber I feel so madt I vant to fighdt.” “Get over it,” said McGowan crustily. “You’re free. What more do you want?” “I vant dot imbression dot I’m guildy all der same remofed from your mindt,” scowled the baron. “Dot’s vot I vant!” “Then find the man that put that gold-brick in your saddle-bag.” “We’ll do it, McGowan,” spoke up the scout. “Give us a little time.” “Will you go out to supper with me, Buffalo Bill?” queried the mine-owner. “I have other business on hand, just now, McGowan.” “Anyhow, you’ll ride with me back to the Three-ply this evening?” “I’m afraid I’ll have to pass that up, too.” “But if you’re going to hook-up with me----” “You’ll hear from me and my pards, all right, and probably when you least expect it. Go back to your diggings, McGowan, and be comfortable in your mind. Take things easy, and let things drift as usual.” “All right, Buffalo Bill, if you want matters that way. But I’m depending on you.” “Then show that you have confidence in me, McGowan, by heeding instructions.”