With this, Sidewinder turned to the three outlaws and briefly described Miss Gilman’s activities, while Ramsay listened in acute anxiety. “All good things have an end,” he finished. “We’ve just about reached the end of our rope. The thing to do now is to bust up camp. Better get them women and the kid off right now, with hosses. Let ’em ride in to town, and José Garcia will take care of ’em until you’re ready to send for ’em. Then get busy with a running-iron and a knife, and we’ll go over them hosses on hand. Any that can’t be worked over, leave here. You’ll have a right good remuda, and you three fellers can run ’em up to Silver City. Emery, you know how to get there across the Salt Pans, don’t ye?” Tom Emery nodded in silence, but jerked his thumb at Ramsay. “Don’t worry none about him. First, get them women off. Then get busy with the irons. We’ll be until night gettin’ the remuda worked over and in good shape. Then, early in the morning, we’ll ride over to Pinecate Cañon with this inquisitive pilgrim. That fool woman is goin’ out there sometime today, to camp and see about where to build a shack. We’ll nab her and her car. —Hey, Ramsay! Where’s that rat Sagebrush?” “Last I saw of him was out in the desert,” said Ramsay truthfully. “He didn’t fancy any acquaintance with Miss Gilman, and got right huffy over her being around.” “So he run off, eh? Blamed if that aint old Sagebrush all over!” Sidewinder chuckled dryly. “Where’s your car?” “At Pinecate Cañon.” “All right.” Sidewinder eyed his three men. “Ye see, we can’t afford to take no chances. If we kill this _hombre_, there may be questions asked—and what’d we do with the Gilman woman? I don’t aim to murder a woman.” “Give her to me,” suggested Ximines, with a grin. “You go plumb to hell,” snapped Sidewinder. “I don’t guess any of us want a double murder charge follering us. So here’s the program with them two: Leave ’em in Pinecate Cañon, with some grub. They aint going to walk away from there in a hurry—” “Hamstring him!” Ximines gave Ramsay a scowling glance. “Good idea,” approved Sidewinder, with a nod. “Fix him so’s he can’t travel, anyhow. Then I’ll have José Garcia come over there from town and camp out to keep an eye on the two of ’em. You boys run the remuda up to Silver City, sell her, and then scatter. I’ll get sold out in Stovepipe Springs, and disappear. Three weeks ought to fix us up all around. Then Garcia can remove himself likewise. By the time Ramsay and that fool woman get out to where they can tell their story—let ’em tell it! That’s the general scheme. We can fix the details later. How’s it suit?” “Fine with me,” said Tom Emery, pawing his red whiskers. Cholo Bill nodded. “_Bueno!_ But my woman, she go with me and the remuda.” “Mine too,” growled Ximines. “Then get busy.” Sidewinder rose. “Tie up this gent.”