"Yeh, mebbe she was, but Slivers is wanted bad for two murders, among which is her old man, so I reckon she forgot him." "Mebbe she don't believe he's guilty," Allen volunteered. "Mebbe so. I sorta liked Slivers myself an' never figgered him the sort of gent what would dry-gulch a man. Yeh, there's somethin' sorta funny about that too an' I'm a-gettin' plumb curious." Allen decided that Shorty was altogether too talkative for a man who had such a broad, curious streak. Under the present circumstances to have either was dangerous, but to have both was suicidal. CHAPTER XXI CONFERENCE WITH SLIVERS He rode with Shorty a short distance farther and then announced that his gray had gone lame and that he intended to return to the ranch. Shorty gave a few brief directions as to the trail back to the ranch and then rode on alone. Allen waited until the glow of Shorty's cigarette had faded in the faint light from the moon and then swung Princess about and headed across the plain almost due north to where he had left Slivers earlier that day. He put his horse into a long, space-devouring lope and headed straight toward the tall, wooded mountain that stood out against the starlit sky. As he rode on and on, he tried to piece together the bits of information he had gathered. From Shorty's talk he knew that if Spur were guilty, it was going to be hard to trap him, for Spur had covered his tracks well. The stars told him it was past midnight when he started to climb the knoll on which Slivers had his camp. He dismounted and cautiously made his way upward on foot. Once, twice, three times he gave the wolf call. This was the agreed signal. A few seconds later, he heard Slivers answer. "'Lo, kid," Allen said, when he at last stood beside his friend. "How about some java?" "How are things? What did yuh find out? Did yuh see her?" Slivers eagerly fired out his questions as he made a small fire and put the coffeepot on to boil. "I'll give yuh the best first. The girl is fine an' still thinkin' of yuh plenty. But the rest is plumb rotten bad. John Reed is dead an----" "John Reed dead?" Slivers cried in dismay. "Yeh. Now, yuh hold tight while I tell yuh about it. He was downed by a couple rustlers that he caught blottin' brands. Spur Treadwell an' the McGill twins downed the rustlers. Afore ol' man Reed cashed, he made Spur Dot's guardian----" "I don't believe it," Slivers interrupted positively. "Me, neither--but just the same Spur's got a paper, an' folks figger said paper is genuine." Allen grinned sardonically. Slivers considered this news. Then an idea flashed into his head. "Them rustlers--they was blottin' the Double R brand to the Double B?" he demanded. "Yep, yuh can go up to the head of the class. Now then, kid, keep cool!" Allen paused for a moment and then grinned cheerfully at Slivers. "Spur says one rustler got away an' that feller was yuh!"