“Then Frederick may be confined not far away?”

“Likely enough; it’s wild country.  There are a hundred places within fifty miles where he might be hidden away for years.  That is the job which was given to Beaton; he had the dirty work to perform, while the girl took care of John.  I do not know how he did it—­knockout drops, possibly, in a glass of beer; the blow of a fist on a train-platform at night; a ride into the desert to look at some thing of interest—­there are plenty of ways in which it could be quietly done by a man of Mr. Beaton’s expert experience.”

“Yes, but he does not know this country—­if it was only New York now.”

“But Bill Lacy does, and these fellows are well acquainted—­friends apparently.  Lacy and I are at daggers-points over a mining claim, and he believes my only chance is through the use of money advanced by Fred Cavendish.  He’d ride through hell to lick me.  Why, look here, Miss Donovan, when Bill Lacy had me stuck up against the wall last night at the hotel with a gun at my head, he lost his temper and began to taunt me about not getting any reply from my telegrams and letters.  How did he know about them?  Beaton must have told him.  There’s the answer; those fellows are in cahoots, and if Fred is actually alive, Bill Lacy knows where he is, and all about it.”

She did not answer.  Westcott’s theory of the situation, his quick decision that Frederick Cavendish still lived, completely overturned her earlier conviction.  Yet his argument did not seem unfair or his conclusion impossible.  Her newspaper experience had made her aware that there is nothing in this world so strange as truth, and nothing so unusual as to be beyond the domain of crime.

“What do you think?” he asked quietly.

“Oh, I do not know; it all grows less comprehensible every moment.  But whatever is true I cannot see that anything remains for us to do, but wait and watch the actions of these people; they are certain to betray themselves.  We have been here together now longer than we should, and I must return to the hotel.”

“You expect Beaton to seek you?”

She smiled.

“He appeared very devoted, quite deeply interested; I hope it continues.”

“So do I, now that I understand,” earnestly.  “Although I confess your intimacy was a shock to me this noon.  Well, I am going to busy myself also and take a scouting trip to La Rosita.”

“Is that Lacy’s mine?”

“Yes; up the gulch here about two miles.  I may pick up some information worth having.  I am to see you again—­alone?”

“We must have some means of communication; have you any suggestion?”

“Yes, but we’ll take for our motto, ‘Safety first.’  We mustn’t be seen together, or suspected in any way of being friends.  The livery-stable keeper has a boy about twelve, who is quite devoted to me; a bright, trustworthy little fellow.  He is about the hotel a good deal, and will bring me word from you any time.  You need have no fear that I shall fail to respond to any message you send.”