“I wonder what made that noise?” he muttered. “Somethin’ started a stone. Mebbe a cussed coyote.” He peered long, on the slope of the hill, returning finally to the cave, when he could discover nothing. The girl had tried to slip away during his absence, but had become bewildered, and found herself in a “pocket” of the rocky wall, with her way now barred by her captor. “Come out o’ there!” he snarled. “What you doin’ there?” She came out, trembling. “Now I ask ye ag’in fer them emeralds!” “And I tell you I haven’t them!” she screamed at him. “_I haven’t them_, do you hear, you hateful beast?” CHAPTER XLVI. THE CAPTURE OF THE THIEF. As Toby Sam stole on, congratulating himself on his clever theft, he tripped suddenly over what seemed to be a grapevine in the path. The supposed grapevine was a lariat, as he knew when a man sprang on him, caught him by the throat, jammed his head back against the ground, and commanded him to keep silent on pain of having his throat cut. The fingers of the man were like iron in their hold, and the command was made in a hoarse whisper. The place was a mile or less from the cave, and the capture was made at a time when Toby Sam felt absolutely sure of getting away with the emeralds. The cowardly rascal coughed and gurgled, and then lay back, quiet, staring-eyed, and weak from fear. Then he saw that this man had comrades, two of them, at least, who came up one on each side, and they looked at the prisoner. “Got him, eh?” There was a chuckle. “Waugh! He’s thet pesky sneak, Toby Sam!” It was Nick Nomad who spoke. Toby Sam recognized that, and knew he had fallen into the hands of Buffalo Bill’s party, which was as bad as, or worse, than falling into the hands of Black John. “Speak above a whisper, and you’re a dead man!” The fingers relaxed as the threat was made; and Toby Sam, clutching his aching throat, stared again at the men who had captured him. “Search him, Gordon!” Pawnee Bill “went through” the pockets of Toby Sam. “Ah!” he said, in a tone of surprise. “What’s this?” He had found the bag of emeralds. Buffalo Bill’s last remaining wax match illuminated the contents of the bag, showing the nature of the find. Then they began to question Toby Sam. He tried to lie, at first; but the cold muzzle of Buffalo Bill’s revolver, thrust into his face, convinced him of the wisdom of telling the truth. Then he admitted the theft of the emeralds from Black John, and told where Black John was hiding with his prisoner. “Hear that, Bruce?” said Buffalo Bill. Another man--a young man--had crept forward, and was listening. He was shaking with excitement. “You must lead us to the place,” he said. “Is she well, and unharmed?” “I--I think she is; she was in there, and he was talkin’ with her, and was cussin’ her, when I came away.” “Tell us just where this little cave is,” Buffalo Bill commanded. Toby Sam told as well as he could.