“Well, what's the matter?” “They're gone.” “Who's gone?” “Roche and Estelle.” “How do you know? Have you looked around?” “Come over here.” They prowled behind the trees, parted the bushes here and there, called as loud as they dared, lighted matches, and examined the ground. Finally McGlory broke out with an oath: “The little fool! So she thinks she can serve me this way, eh?” “You think they've skipped out?” “Think? Do I think it? What do I want to _think_ for? Didn't I see him a-hugging her?” “He was just helping her then.” “Oh, just helping her, was he?” “Well, what you going to do about it?” “What'm I going to do?” McGlory was lashing his anger. His voice swelled until he was roaring out the words: “What'm I going to do? I'm going to run that Pete Roche down if I have to go to hell for him! I'm going to---” “Drop your voice, Joe. I can hear you. How're you going to find him?” “Who you telling to shut up?” “Hold on, now. None o' that talk to me!” “Oh, you think you can boss me, do you?” “Think? I know it. Don't waste your breath trying to bluff me. I asked you how you're going to find him.” “How'm I going to--how'm I--why, I 'll break his head--I 'll--” “Don't work yourself up. It won't help you any.” “You think you can talk like that to me? If you ain't careful, I 'll break _your_ head. I 'll--” “How are you going to find him?” “You say another word, and I 'll knock your teeth down your throat.” “I've got my hand in my pocket, Joe, and I've got a loaded gun in my hand, and if you threaten me again, I 'll blow a hole through you. I've half a mind to do it anyway. A fool like you has no business getting into a scrape if he can't keep his head. I'd a heap rather kill you than get caught through your fool noise. The sooner you understand me, the better for you. Now tell me how you're going to find out which way to take.” “How--” McGlory was not a coward, but he could not face down the seasoned courage of the man before him. “Why--that's a cinch. Ain't he headed the same way we are?” “Now, Joe, hold on. Don't be a bigger fool than you can help. You don't really think he'd take her right along over this road, do you?” “Why--dam' it!” “It's no good talking to you if you can't quiet down. You want to kill Roche, and you're right. I want him killed, too. The longer he's alive, the more danger for us. But if you go at him this way, he may kill you.” “Him! Kill me! Why--” “I mean it. He's desperate, too. You can't be too sure that he 'll always run like he did to-night. He's got Estelle to look out for, too. Now, it's plain that he hasn't gone down the road, because, look here,--she isn't good for more than a mile an hour, and he'd have sense enough to know we'd catch him.” “Where is he gone, then?” “Not very far--we know that much. Likely they're back here in the woods. Or maybe they went back to Van Deelen's.” “They'd never go there.” “They might have to. I guess you don't know much about women, Joe.”