“It is a curious thing,” he said retrospectively, as the policeman ceased speaking, “that in all previous raids of this Retief we have invariably tracked the lost stock down to this point.  Of course, as you say, there is not the slightest doubt that the beasts have been herded over the keg.  Everything seems to me to hinge on the discovery of that path.  That is the problem which confronts us chiefly.  How are we to find the secret of the crossing?”

“It cannot be done,” said Horrocks, simply but with decision.

“Nonsense,” exclaimed the other, with a heavy gasp of breath.  “Retief knows it, and the others with him.  Those cattle could not have been herded over single-handed.  Now to me it seems plain that the crossing is a very open secret amongst the Breeds.”

“And I presume you consider that we should work chiefly on that hypothesis?”

“Exactly.”

“And you do not consider the possible capture of Retief as being the most important feature of the case?”

“Important—­certainly.  But, for the moment, of minor consideration.  Once we discover the means by which he secretes his stock—­and the hiding-place—­we can stop his depredations and turn all our energies to his capture.  You follow me?  At first I was inclined to think with you that the capture of the man would be the best thing.  But now it seems to me that the easiest method of procedure will be the discovery of that path.”

The rasping tone in which Lablache spoke conveyed to the other his unalterable conviction.  The prairie man, however, remained unconvinced.

“Well,” he replied, after a moment’s deliberation, “I cannot say I agree with you.  Open secret or not, I’ve a notion that we’d stand a better chance of discovering the profoundest of state secrets than elicit information, even supposing them to possess it, of this description from the Breeds.  I expect Gautier here in a few minutes; we shall hear what he has to say.”

“I trust he may have something to say.”

Lablache snapped his reply out in that peculiar tone of his which spoke volumes.  It never failed to anger him to have his opinions gainsaid.  Then his manner changed slightly, and his mood seemed to become contemplative.  Horrocks observed the change and wondered what was coming.  The money-lender cleared his throat and spat into the stove.  Then he spoke with that slow deliberation which was his when thinking deeply.

“Two years ago, when Retief did what he liked in this part of the country, there were many stories going about as to his relationship with a certain lady in this settlement.”

“Miss Allandale—­yes, I have heard.”

“Just so; some said that she—­er—­was very partial to him.  Some, that they were distantly connected.  All were of opinion that she knew a great deal of the man if she only chose to tell.  These stories were gossip—­merely.  These small places are given to gossip.  But I must confess to a belief that gossip is often—­always, in fact—­founded on a certain amount of fact.”