“I’d like to see the scoundrel hung!” he muttered. “What’s more, I’d like to spring the trap myself, or pull at the rope that lynches him. He’s not fit to live!” “Who’s this man Bascomb, Jacobs?” asked the scout. “I don’t know much about Bascomb,” replied Jacobs, “except that he and Bern are pals. Bascomb has a hold on a bunch of renegade Apaches, and he rounded them up to put through this deal here to-day. I won’t be sure, but I _think_ that Bascomb suggested all this gold-robbery business to Bernritter, and has been telling him how to pull it off.” “Bernritter was a willing tool--there’s not a particle of doubt about that,” interjected McGowan. “Does Bascomb stay in Phœnix?” asked the scout. “He doesn’t make it a rule to stay anywhere for very long. I have my suspicions that he’s a badly wanted man.” “He’ll be badly wanted now, if he wasn’t before,” scowled McGowan. “Bernritter told you to meet Bascomb in Phœnix, did he?” went on the scout. Jacobs opened his eyes pretty wide at this. “How did you know that?” he asked. “My old pard, Nomad, found it out. When you and Bernritter left the sheriff’s office I had you followed.” “Does your pard know what sort of a talk I had with Bascomb?” asked Jacobs, alarmed. “Yes.” “He found out enough to put us next to the work you contemplated, out here. That is how we were able to back-cap you like we did.” “You and your pards must be regular fiends!” murmured Jacobs. “Rather a left-handed compliment, I call that,” said the scout. “Didn’t you know my pard, Nomad, was trailing you, Jacobs?” “I should say not!” “How did it happen that some one got the best of him in our room at the Phœnix hotel, bound and gagged him with towels, and left him a prisoner in a closet?” “I didn’t know anything about that. Bascomb, before he rode out into the hills, was to have a couple of men call at your hotel and keep an eye on you or any of your pards who happened to be there. I suppose those men must have roughed things up for Nomad. But I didn’t hear about it.” “Nomad said Bascomb called the men ‘light-fingered.’ Didn’t Bernritter want them to go through our baggage?” “I don’t know. Bern didn’t say anything to me about it.” “Did Bernritter tamper with my guns?” asked McGowan. “Yes. He said that if you ever got a line on him about the first thing you’d do would be to shoot--and ask for an explanation afterward.” “Well, I _am_ rather swift when my mad is up.” “So Bernritter fixed your guns. Now, Mr. McGowan, I’ve told you all I know. I have been Bernritter’s tool all through this business. He got me my job here, and he swore that if I didn’t help him in his thieving he’d have me discharged. On account of all that, sir, I’m hoping you’ll be easy with me.” “Oh, yes, I’ll be easy with you!” growled McGowan. “You’ll not be hung, I reckon, but you will go over the road, all right.” “You haven’t lost any gold----” “It was not through you that I saved any of it.”