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The sheriff had not ridden to Bear Canon expecting to be bullied into civil
speech and lengthy explanations； but he knew Applehead Furrman； and he had
sufficient intelligence to read correctly the character of the group of men
that stood behind Applehead。 Honest men or thieves； they were to； be reckoned
with if any attempt were made to place Luck under arrest； any fool could see
thatand Hank Miller was not a fool。
He proceeded therefore to explain his errand and the robbery as the cashier
had described it to the clerks who returned after lunch to finish their
Saturday's work at the bank。
〃Fifteen thousand they claim is what the fellers got。 And one of your men that
runs the camera was keeping up a bluff of taking a pitcher of it all the time…
…that's why they got away with it。 Nobody suspicioned it was anything more'n
moving…pitcher acting till they found the cashier and brought him toy along
about one o'clock。 It was that Chavez feller that you had working for yuh； and
Luis Rojas that done itthem and a couple fellers stalling outside with the
camera。〃
〃I wonder；〃 hazarded Pete Lowry； who had come down and joined the group； 〃if
that wasn't Bill Holmes with the camera？ He was a lot more friendly with Ramon
than he tried to let on。〃
〃The point is；〃 Luck broke in； 〃that they took advantage of my holdup scene to
pull off the robbery。 I can see how the cashier would fall for a retake like
that； especially since he don't know much about picture…making。 Gather up the
props； boys； and let's go home。 I'm going to get the rights of this thing。〃
〃You've got it now；〃 the sheriff informed him huffily。 〃Think I been loading
you up with hot air？ I was sent out to round you up〃
〃Forget all that！〃 snapped luck。 〃I don't know as I enjoy having you fellows
jump at the notion I'm a bank…robberor that if I had robbed a bank I would
have come right back here and gone to work。 What kind of a simp do you think I
am； for gosh sake？ Can you see where anyone but a lunatic would go like that
in broad daylight and pull off a robbery as raw as that one must have been；
and not even make an attempt at a gateway？ I'll gamble Applehead； here；
wouldn't have fallen for a play as coarse as that was if he was sheriff yet。
He'd have seen right away that the camera part was just the coarsest kind of a
blind。
〃My Lord！ Think of grown menofficers of the law at thatbeing simple…minded
enough to come fogging out here to me； instead of getting on the trail of the
men that were seen on the spot！ You say they came in a machine to the bank and
you never so much as tried to trace it； or to get the license number even；
I'll bet a month's salary you didn't！ It was a moving…picture stall； and so
you come blundering out here to the only picture company in the country；
thinking； by gravy； that it was all straight goodsoh； can you beat that for
a boob？〃 He shook back his heavy mane of gray hair and turned to his boys
disgustedly。
〃Pete and Tommy； you can drive the wagon back all right； can't you？ We'll go
on ahead and see what there is at the bottom of this yarn。〃
CHAPTER X。 DEPUTIES ALL
At the ranch； whither they rode in haste； Luck meant to leave his boys and go
on with the sheriff to town。 But the Happy Family flatly refused to be left
behind。 Even old Aleck Douglaswhom years and trouble had enfeebled until his
very presence here with Jean and Lite was a health…seekiing mission in the
wonderful air of New Mexicoeven old Aleck Douglas stamped his foot at Jean
and declared that he was going； along to see that 〃the boy〃 got a square deal。
There wouldn't be any railroading Luck to the pew for something he didn't do；
he asserted with a tragic meaning that wrung the heart of Jean。 It took Lite's
arguments and Luck's optimism and； finally； the assurance of the sheriff that
Luck was not under arrest and was in no danger of it； to keep the old man at
the ranch。 Also； they promised to return with all speed and not to keep supper
waiting； before the two women were satisfied to let them go。
〃Oh； Luck Lindsay；〃 Rosemary bethought her to announce just as they were
leaving； 〃you better keep an eye out for Annie； while you're in town。 She's
goneand the dog and all her clothes and everything。 Maybe she took the train
back to the reservation。 I just wanted you to know； so if you feel you ought
to bother〃
〃Annie gone？〃 Even in his preoccupation the mews came with a stab。 〃When did
she go？〃
〃We don't know。 She set up an awful yowling when you boys went to work。 And
the dog commenced howling； till it was simply awful。 So we rode in to town
after the mail； and when we came back she was gone； bag and baggage。 We didn't
see anything of her on the trail； but she could dodge us if she wanted to
she's Injun enough for that。〃
So Luck carried a double load of anxiety with him to town； and the first thing
he did when he reached it was to seek； not the beaten cashier who had accused
him； but the ticket agent at the depot； and the baggage menanyone who would
be apt to remember Annie…Many…Ponies if she took a train out of town。
You might think that； with so many Indians coming and going at the depot；
selling their wares and making picturesque setting for the curios which are
purveyed there； that Luck stood a very slight chance of gaining any
information whatever。 But a Sioux squaw in Albuquerque would be as noticeable
as a Hindoo。 Pueblos； Navajosthey may come and go unnoticed because of their
numbers。 But an Indian of another tribe and style of dress would be
conspicuous enough to be remembered。 So； when no one remembered seeing
Annie…Many…Ponies； Luck dismissed the conjecture that she had taken the train；
and turned his attention to picking up the trail of the bank… robbers。
Here the Happy Family； with Applehead and Lite Avery； had managed to
accomplish a good deal in a very short time。 The Native Son； for instance； had
ridden straight out from the bank into the Mexican quarter； as soon as he
learned that the red automobile had gone up Silver Street and turned south on
Fourth。 By the time Luck reached the bank Miguel came loping back with the
news that the red machine had crossed the lower bridge and had turned up
toward Atrisco； that little Mexican hamlet which lies between the river and
the bluffs where the white sand of the desert spills over into the nearest
corrals and little pastures。
The others had learned definitely that Bill Holmes had manipulated the fake
camera while the bank was being robbed； and that the man with him； who bad
also driven the machine； was a certain chauffeur of colorless personality and
an unsavory reputation among other drivers； and that the number of the
automobile was a matter of conjecture； since three different men who were
positive they remembered it gave three different numbers。
In company with the sheriff they called upon the cashier； who was in bed with
his head bandaged and his nerves very much uns