"It won't do. For one thing, your thinker isn't working as per invoice," said Nueces River. "You're in no fix to do yourself justice. We'll look after your interests. You know some of the posse might be coming back, askin' fool questions. Pull your freight up to the Bar Cross till we send for you." "Well--if you think Pringle isn't running any risks I'll go." "We'll take care of Pringle. Guess we'll make him sheriff next fall, maybe--just to keep Anastacio in his place. Drift!" "No sheriffin' for mine, thanks. Contracting is my line. Subcontracting!" "So long, boys! You know what I'd like to say. You gave me a square deal, you three chaps," said Foy. "Get word to Stella as soon as ever you can. She thinks I'm a prisoner, you know. You know what I want to say there, Pringle--tell her for me.... Say! Why don't you all go in now? You boys all know that Stella's engaged to me, don't you? What's the good of keeping her in suspense? Go on to the ranch, right away." "I told you your head wasn't working just right," jeered Nueces. "We want to give you a good start. They'll be after you again, and you're in no fix to do any hard riding. But one of us will go. Breslin, you go." "Too late," observed Anastacio quietly. There is Miss Vorhis now, with her father. They're climbing to the Gap. Go on, Foy." "They've got a led horse," said Nueces as Stella and the Major came to the highest point of the Gap. "Who's that for? Chris? But they couldn't know about Chris. And how did they get here so quick? Don't seem like they've had hardly time." Stella dismounted; she pressed on up the hill to meet her lover. The first sunshafts struck into the Gap, lit up the narrow walls with red glory. "_Magic Casements!_" thought Pringle. "Watch Foy get over the ground!" said Anastacio. "He'll break his neck before he gets down. I don't blame him. He's nearly down. Look the other way, boys!" They looked the other way, and there were none to see that meeting. Unless, perhaps, the gods looked down from high Olympus--the poor immortals--and turned away, disconsolate, to the cheerless fields of asphodel. "But they're not going away," said Breslin after a suitable interval. "They're waiting; and the Major's waving his hat at us." "I'll go see what they want," said Anastacio. In a few minutes he was back, rather breathless and extremely agitated in appearance. "Well? Spill it!" said Nueces. "Get your breath first. What's the trouble?" "Applegate's dead. Joe Espalin, I arrest you for the murder of Richard Marr! Applegate confessed!" "He lied! He lied!" screamed Espalin. "I was with Ben till daylight, at the monte game; they all tell you. The sheriff he try to make me keel heem--he try to buy me to do eet--he keel Dick Marr heemself!"