“Tush! Annie McGowan is my best friend, and I would face any danger for her. I would think of her safety, too, but I wouldn’t fall in with the schemes of these lawless scoundrels. I shall not return to the Double D Ranch until Annie is safe at the Three-ply--but you take my advice and give Buffalo Bill and me a free hand in this matter. Being Annie’s father, it is only natural that you should be so worried you can’t get the proper perspective of this business. Leave it to others. You’ll help, Buffalo Bill?” she asked, facing the scout. “Of course,” was the scout’s reply. “Nomad said you would,” said the girl. “Orders from Fort Apache make it necessary for me to do my best to capture Bascomb; but, before I had received the orders, I had already promised McGowan my aid.” “What’s the first thing to be done?” queried McGowan anxiously. A Chinaman stepped out of the door of the chuck-shanty just then, and began pounding a gong. A long whistle came from the mill, and instantly the roar of the stamps ceased. Night-shift miners and day-shift mill men came running from bunk-house and mill. “The first thing,” laughed the scout, “is to eat a good dinner.” “I can’t eat,” said McGowan. “Isn’t there something we can do, at once?” “I’m formulating a plan,” the scout answered; “but the time we spend on our dinner will not be lost, nor affect one iota our chances for effecting the rescue of your daughter. If you’re in on this deal, Miss Dauntless,” he added to the girl, “you had better put out that white pinto while we’re in the chuck-shanty. Do the same with your horse, Nick,” he finished. The horses were taken to the corral, and McGowan, Buffalo Bill, Nomad, and Dell Dauntless went to the mine-owner’s table in the dining-room. Golightly joined the miners and mill men at their own table. It was a silent meal that was eaten at McGowan’s table. The mine-owner, his mind on his daughter, ate little; the scout and the girl were thoughtful, and Nomad, furtively watching his pard’s face, held his peace to let his pard’s mind finish its planning. “Well?” queried McGowan impatiently, when they had reassembled in front of the office, “what is your plan, Buffalo Bill?” “Write out your agreement to drop proceedings against Bascomb and Bernritter, McGowan,” returned the scout, “and have ready your five-pound bar of bullion.” “You’re going to fall in with the scoundrelly plan, then?” cried Dell disappointedly. “I am merely going to _seem_ to do so,” the scout answered. “About eleven o’clock to-night Nomad will take the agreement and the bullion and go to the deserted shaft. He will place both on the ore-dump; then he will draw away, hide himself, and see what happens. Whoever comes for what he leaves, he will follow. In this manner it may be possible to discover the rendezvous of Bascomb and Bernritter and their red allies.” “My agreement will hold, Buffalo Bill, if I sign it,” said McGowan.