"Well," said Homer, "you are you; and if you've got to do this thing I suppose it can't be helped." He paused, thinking intently. "But when you go North next week--if one of those men proves to be Delafield--you won't--at once--" He stumbled over his words, unable to put his brother's purpose into plain speech. Curtis took up his meaning. "No; not immediately. I've got to come home again first." "Then you'll be back here before you do anything? That's sure, is it, Curt?" asked Homer, relief in his voice. "Yes; sure. I've got some important business that I promised the Castletons I'd attend to the week after, and I'll take no chances till I get that fixed up for them." The next morning there was a promise of rain in the air and the sky. A dome of pale, bright gray, resting on murky supports of cloud, had taken the place of the usual heaven of vivid blue. But the wind, blowing warm and strong from the west, bore little moisture upon its wings, and the air was laden with an electric tingle that stretched and jarred unaccustomed nerves. Hank Peters and José Gonzalez were working in the corral when Curtis Conrad came across from the door of his room to give them some directions. Presently he asked if they or any of the boys had seen anything lately of the gray wolf that had skulked about the neighborhood earlier in the season. Nosey Ike, they said, had seen it only the day before in the second draw on the road toward Golden. "He did?" exclaimed Curtis. "I'm going to Golden to-day, and perhaps I can get a crack at it. I'll be home by six o'clock, Peters, and I want to talk with you to-night about some work at Adobe Springs to-morrow. But to-day's Sunday, boys, and we've come finally where we can stop and take breath once a week. You fellows can do anything you like to-day." Peters thought he'd sleep all day, for he hadn't caught up since the barbecue; but José wanted to visit a Mexican family who had a little ranch beside a spring on the road to Golden. "All right," said the superintendent. "Take whichever one of the ponies you want, but be sure to get back to-night." "Curt," said Homer when they sat down to breakfast, "if you're not going to use Brown Betty to-day, would you mind if I rode her over to Golden? Or wouldn't you like to go with me? I'm going to call at the Bancrofts' to see if Miss Bancroft has recovered from the shock she had the other night." Curtis hesitated a moment as he poured their coffee, his own plan rising before him invitingly. But he remembered how pleased the two young people had seemed to be with each other and recalled his own resolution: "Let the lad have a fair field," he thought. "Brown Betty? Certainly, Homer," was his reply. "I'll see that she's ready for you. I can't go because I must ride down to Adobe Springs to see about some work the boys must do there to-morrow. Give my regards to the Bancrofts. By the way, Mrs. Ned Castleton gave me a message for Miss Bancroft that I'll let you deliver."