“Yes.  They broke the window out.  I knew it would happen.  This is an awful gregus bad valley.”

“Steady now, old boy!  Did they hurt the sky pilot?”

“No.  They tied him up and took him away.  Then I rode down to telephone and they burned it.”

“Who was it, Johnny?”

“I don’t know but I depone it was Scott and Charleton.  They never spoke but I depone it.  Like it was Charleton and John tied me to the mule and that was how.”

“Steady, Johnny!  Which way did they go?”

“I don’t know.  I was riding down to Mary.  I knew Mary—­”

“Steady, Johnny.”  Douglas looked up at the circle of faces.

“Is there anybody friendly enough here, if they knew who did this, to tell me?”

There was no reply, and Peter said, “I don’t think if it was Scott and
Charleton working together, they’d confide in anybody!”

There was a murmur of assent.  Douglas stood, the kind hand still on Johnny’s shoulder, drawing long shuddering breaths.

“If they hurt my old sky pilot,” he said, “God pity ’em, for I sha’n’t.  ’Are any of you folks going to help me organize a hunt for him?”

“How do you know the two old fools didn’t set fire to it themselves?” demanded John thickly.  “The sky pilot was in bad and that would be a good way out.”

Douglas swung himself up on the Moose.  In the vivid light his lips were twisted contemptuously.

“Glad to help you out personally any way, Doug!” exclaimed Jimmy Day.  “But you’d better let the sky pilot go.  They ain’t going to hurt him.  You’ve been the church buildingest damn fool in the Rockies.”

“Speak for yourself, Jimmy!” cried Peter.  “I’m with you, Doug.”

“And so am I!” exclaimed Judith.  “This is the rottenest trick ever sprung in Lost Chief!”

“You will not stir a step after the preacher, miss!” roared John.

Douglas stood in the stirrups facing his old friends and neighbors.  But words failed him.  He spurred the Moose out onto the trail.

Peter urged his horse up beside the Moose.  “Where are you heading for, Doug?  You mustn’t go off half-cocked.”

“I’m going down to Inez’ place and see if I can sweat the truth out of her.”

“It’s a slim chance!”

“I don’t think so!  It’s too dark to follow tracks now, and you can bet they’ve covered themselves well, anyhow.  I have a feeling that Inez knows.  She must have been willing to murder the sky pilot after his sermon.  If we don’t get anything out of her by dawn, we’ll get Frank Day and start.  I know I can count on him.”

“Well, perhaps you’re right.  Inez has been venomous about this and I can’t say that I blame her.  Easy now, Doug.  The Moose is about all in.”