‘I’ve got to go down by the ranch,’ Howard told him.  ’Then, if you like, I can go on with you.  It is possible I might be of service to you.  At least, I could steer you into the right sort of people.’

Longstreet nodded vigorously.  ’That’s fine of you.  And I won’t say it was not expected.  Some day, perhaps, I can repay you for some of your kindnesses to us.  Now, if you are ready, I’ll go and call Helen.  And, remember, not a word to them about our business.’

‘Miss Helen will go with us?’

‘I can hardly leave her out here alone, can I?’ smiled Longstreet.  ’And Mr. Carr said that he would have to leave this morning.  While he and Helen chat together, you and I can ride on ahead and talk.  There are any number of matters to discuss.’

Howard hastily expressed his approval of the plan, and if his tone lacked heartiness, Longstreet did not notice.

‘We are all going down to Desert Valley ranch,’ Longstreet explained when Helen and Carr came at his calling.  ’From there we are going to ride to Big Run and then on into San Ramon.  I want to get some—­some tools and things there, to scratch around with, you know,’ he concluded, beaming with that expression that he wore when he had an ace in the hole.  Helen looked at him with keen suspicious eyes.

‘Papa is up to something underhanded,’ she announced serenely.  ’He thinks that he can fool me when he pleases and—­look at his face!  What is it, father?’

‘Never mind,’ said Longstreet hastily.  ’Just get yourself ready, my dear.  You’ll ride with us, Mr. Carr?’

Helen, always ready for a ride, hurried for her hat and gloves; now from the end of the room, her eyes bright with mischief and hidden from the men, she called: 

’Do come, Mr. Carr.  I have to have some one to talk with, you know, and papa and Mr. Howard never let me slip a word in sideways.’

’She wasn’t like this when we rode home in the moonlight the other night,’ thought Howard, considerably puzzled.  ’What have I done, anyway?’

Carr did not give a direct answer.  While he cut the end off a fresh cigar, he suggested: 

‘How about the horses?  Al is on foot.’

‘That’s easy,’ Howard answered.  ’Chuck Evans is herding a string up this way and I can get one of them.  Be back while you are getting ready.’  And over his shoulder to Carr, feeling vaguely that in his heart he had been unreasonable and not quite loyal, ’Better come along, John.’

From the edge of the tableland he saw Evans down below.  The cowboy saw him and came at his signal.

‘So you’re back, are you?’ said Chuck.  ’We’d begun to wonder if you’d hit the trail for some other where.  Special,’ he added significantly, ’since it’s been published kind of wide and large that you and Jim Courtot was both packing shooting-irons.’

‘I haven’t seen Courtot,’ Howard told him carelessly, ’and I’m beginning to believe that he has other calves to brand and has pretty well forgotten all about me.  I’m shy a horse, Chuck.  Scare one up for me to ride back to the ranch, will you?’