“True enough, Cody; but we men have to work, and why not horses? He’ll never do enough work to harm him, in my judgment. I get twenty dollars apiece for these, after they’re a bit broken, and there’s some money in it.” A man was galloping across the valley. “Some one is coming,” said the scout, drawing Black John’s attention to the horseman. “Who is he?” Black John looked at the man. “That’s Toby Sam,” he said; “one of my men.” “Why Toby Sam?” said the scout. “Just the name we call him by, that’s all; I dunno what his real name is.” Toby Sam was the rascal who had been under the tree at Gordon’s and had fled when spoken to by Buffalo Bill. He was one of the mustangers! It was a fact so suspicious that the scout decided to watch the mustang catchers a while longer, and to find out more about Toby Sam. When Toby Sam arrived, and discovered that Buffalo Bill and his friends were there, he showed much confusion, but tried to cover it up. Old Nick Nomad rode up to him. “Stranger,” he said bluntly, “I’m glad ter know ye, but I has seen yer before, when you was ridin’ at sech a lickety-clip toward this valley, from the direction of Gordon’s cabin, over on ther stage trail. Thet war this mornin’.” “You’re mistaken,” said Toby Sam. “I wasn’t over there this mornin’.” “You were not at Forest’s this morning?” said Buffalo Bill, his sharp eyes boring Toby Sam. “Didn’t I see you under the tree there close by the house; and, when I spoke to you, didn’t you run and get your horse, and ride away without answering me?” “It’s a mistake,” said Toby Sam. “I wasn’t over there at all.” “Then I beg your pardon,” said the scout. “It was a mistake.” But he knew that Toby Sam had lied, and he wondered why. In connection with the fact that Toby Sam might have seen those emeralds, or heard talk about them, it was so suggestive that the scout became uneasy. CHAPTER XXXV. THE ATTACK ON THE STAGE. After tarrying with the mustang catchers of the Bitter Water, and trying to study Toby Sam, Black John, and others, Buffalo Bill and his friends departed, with no very clear conclusions, except a deepening suspicion against Toby Sam. They journeyed toward the stage trail, thinking to intersect it where the stage would pass, and there get a final word with Lena Forest, who was to take the stage that day to the railroad. As they approached the crossing, they heard what was undoubtedly an attack on the stagecoach. Buffalo Bill and his companions rode rapidly toward the shots and the tumult. When they reached the trail they saw only a woman running about in distraction. The stage and the outlaws were gone. The woman was Lena Forest. “The robbers have taken her emeralds!” was the conclusion of Buffalo Bill, as he dashed up to her, with Pawnee Bill and Nomad at his heels. She stared at him wild-eyed, and then rushed to meet him. “Bruce!” she cried. “They have carried him away.”