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more Navajos came flocking in from all quarters。 Many of them couldand
didtalk English understandably； and most of them seemed inclined to
appreciate the joke。 All save those whom Lite had 〃nipped and nicked〃 in the
course of their flight from the rock ridge to the Frying…Pan。 These were
inclined to be peevish over their hurts and to nurse them in sullen silence
while Luck； having a rudimentary knowledge of medicine and surgery； gave them
what firstaid treatment was possible。
Applehead； having plenty of reasons for avoiding publicity； had gone into
retirement in the shade of a clump of brush； with Lite to keep him company
while he smoked a meditative pipe or two and studied the puzzle of Ramon's
probable whereabouts。
〃Can't trust a Navvy；〃 he muttered in a discreet undertone to Lite。 〃I've fit
'em b'fore now； 'n' I KNOW。 'N' you kin be dang sure they ain't fergot the
times I've fit 'em； neither！ There's bucks millin' around here that's jes'
achin' fer a chanst at me； t' pay up fer some I've killed off when I was shurf
'n' b'fore。 So you keep 'n ；eye peeled； Lite； whilst I think out this yere
dang move uh Ramon's。 'N' if you see anybody sneakin' up on me； you GIT him。 I
cain't watch Navvyies 'n' mill things over in m' haid at the same time。〃
Lite grinned and wriggled over so that his back was against a rock。 He laid
his six…shooter Ostentatiously across his lap and got out his tobacco and
papers。 〃Go ahead and think； Applehead；〃 he consented placidly。 〃I'll guard
your scalp…lock。〃
Speaking literally； Applehead had no scalplock to guard。 But he did have a
shrewd understanding of the mole…like workings of the criminal mind； and with
his own mind free to work on the problem； he presently declared that he would
bet he could land Ramon Chavez in jail within a week； and sent Lite after
Luck。
〃I've got it figgered out；〃 he announced when Luck came over to his retreat。
〃If Ramon crossed the railroad he was aimin' t' hit out across the mesa to the
mountains 'n' beyond。 He wouldn't go south； 'cause he could be traced among
the Injun pueblosthey's a thousand eyes down； that way b'fore he'd git t'
wild country。 He'd keep away from the valley countryer I would； if I was
him。 I know dang well whar I'D hit fer if I was makin' a gitaway 'n' didn't
come off over here'n' I shore would keep outa Navvy country； now I'm tellin'
yuh！ No； sir； I'd take out t'other way； through Hell Canon er Tijeras； 'n' I'd
make fer the Jemes country。 That thar's plenty wild 'n' rough'n' come t'
think of it； the Chavez boys owns quite a big grant； up in there som'ers； 'n'
have got men in their pay up thar； runnin' their cattle。 Ramon could lay low
fer a dang long while up thar 'n' be safer'n what he would be out amongst
strangers。
〃'N' another thing； I'd plan t' have some hosses stached out in one uh them
canons； 'n' I'd mebby use a autymobile t' git to 'em； 'n' send the car back t'
town if I could trust the feller that drove itouta my sight。 'N'； Luck； if
you'll take my advice； you'll hit out t'wards the Jemes country。 I know every
foot uh the way； 'n' we kin make it in a coupla days by pushin' the hosses。
'N' I'll bet every dang hoof I own 't we round up that bunch over thar
som'ers。〃
〃You lead out； then；〃 Luck told him promptly。 〃I'm willing to admit you're
better qualified to take charge of the outfit than I am。 You know the
countryand you've fit Indians。〃
〃We…ell； now； you're dang right I have！ 'N' if some them bucks don't go off
'n' mind their own business； I'll likely fight a few morel You shoo 'em outa
camp； Luck； 'n' start 'em about their own dang business。 'N' we'll eat a bite
'n' git on about our own。 If we show up any grub whilst this bunch is hangin'
around we'll have t' feed 'em'n' you know dang well we ain't got enough
skurcely fer the Jemes trip as it is。〃
〃I've been handing out money as it is till I'm about broke；〃 Luck confessed；
〃making presents to those fellows that came in with bullets in their legs and
arms。 Funny nobody got hit in the bodyexcept one poor devil that got shot in
the shoulder。〃
〃We…ell； now； you kin blame Lite's dang tender heart fer that there；〃
Applehead accused； pulling at his sunbrowned mustache。 〃We was all comin' on
the jump； 'n' so was the Injuns； 'n' it was purty long range 'n' nobody but
lite could hit 'n Injun t' save his soul。 'N' Lite； he wouldn't shoot t'
killhe jes' kep' on nippin' an' nickin'； 'n' shootin' a boss now an' then。 I
wisht I was the expert shot Lite isI'd shore a got me a few Navvies back
there； now I'm tellin' yuh！〃
〃Bud's got a bullet in his arm；〃 Luck said； 〃but the bone wasn't hit； so he'll
make out； and one of the pack…horses was shot in the ear。 We got off mighty
lucky； and I'm certainly glad Lite didn't get careless。 Cost me about fifty
dollars to square us as it is。 You stay where you are； Applehead； till I get
rid of the Indians。 The old fellow acts like he feels he ought to stick along
till we're outa here。 He's kind of taken a notion to me because I can talk
sign； and he seems to want to make sure we don't mix it again with the tribe。
Some of them are kinda peeved； all right。 You've got no quarrel with this old
fellow； have you？ He's a big…league medicine man in the tribe； and his Spanish
name is Mariano Pablo Montoya。 Know him？〃
〃No I don't； 'n' I don't keer to neither；〃 Applehead retorted crossly。 〃Shoo
'em off； Luck； so's we kin eat。 My belly's shore a floppin' agin m' backbone；
'n' I'm tellin' yuh right！〃
CHAPTER XX。 LUIS ROJAS TALKS
Three days of hiding by day in sequestered little groves or deep； hidden
canons； with only Luis Rojas to bear her companyLuis Rojas whom she did not
trust and therefore watched always from under her long straight lashes； with
oblique glances when she seemed to be gazing straight before her； three nights
of tramping through rough places where often the horses must pause and feel
carefully for space to set their feet。 Roads there were； but Luis avoided
roads as though they carried the plague。 When he must cross one he invariably
turned back and brushed out their footprintsuntil he discovered that
Annie…Many…Ponies was much cleverer at this than he was； often he smoked a
cigarette while Annie covered their trail。 Three days and three nights； and
Ramon was not there where they stopped for the third day。
〃We go slow；〃 Luis explained nervously because of the look in the black；
unreadable eyes of this straight； slim Indian girl who was so beautifuland
so silent。 〃They go muy fas'； Ramon an' Beel。 Poco tiemposure； we fin' dem
little soon。〃
Annie…Many…Ponies did not betray by so much as a quiver of an eyelash that
Luis had mentioned Bill unwittingly。 But she hid the name away in her memory；
and all that day she sat and pondered over the meager facts that had come her
way； and with the needle of her suspicion she wove them together patiently
until the pattern was almost complete。
Ramon and Billwhat B