It was on that occasion that Tish told us as much of her plan as she thought it wise for us to know.

“The holdup,” she explained, “is to be the day after to-morrow on the Piegan Pass.  Bill says there is a level spot at the top with rocks all about.  That is the spot.  The Ostermaiers and their party leave the automobiles at Many Glaciers and take horses to the pass.  It will be worth coming clear to Montana to see Mrs. Ostermaier on a horse.”

“I still don’t see,” Aggie observed in a quavering voice, “what we have to do with it.”

“Naturally not,” said Tish.  “You’ll know as soon as is good for you.”

“I don’t believe it will ever be good for me,” said poor Aggie.  “It isn’t good for anybody to be near a holdup.  And I don’t want to be in a moving picture with no teeth.  I’m not a vain woman,” she said, “but I draw the line at that.”

But Tish ignored her.  “The only trouble,” she said, “is having one revolver.  If we each had one—­Lizzie, did you bring any ink?”

Well, I had, and said so, but that I needed it for postcards when we struck a settlement.

Tish waved my objection aside.  “I guess it can be managed,” she observed.  “Bill has a knife.  Yes, I think it can be done.”

She and Bill engaged in an earnest conference that afternoon.  At first Bill objected.  I could see him shaking his head.  Then Tish gave him something which Aggie said was money.  I do not know.  She had been short of cash on the train, but she may have had more in her trunk.  Then I saw Bill start to laugh.  He laughed until he had to lean against a tree, although Tish was quite stern and serious.

We reached Piegan Pass about three that afternoon, and having inspected it and the Garden Wall, which is a mile or two high at that point, we returned to a “bench” where there were some trees, and dismounted.

Here, to our surprise, we found Mr. Bell again.  As Tish remarked, he was better at walking than at talking.  He looked surprised at seeing us, and was much more agreeable than before.

“I’m afraid I was pretty surly the other night,” he said.  “The truth is, I was so blooming unhappy that I didn’t give a damn for anything.”

But when he saw that Bill was preparing to take the pack off the horse he looked startled.

“I say,” he said, “you don’t mean to camp here, do you?”

“Such is my intention,” Tish observed grimly.

“But look here.  Just beyond, at the pass, is where the holdup is to take place to-morrow.”

“So I believe,” said Tish.  “What has that to do with us?  What are you going to do?”

“Oh, I’m going to hang round.”

“Well, we intend to hang round also.”

He stood by and watched our preparations for camp.  Tish chose a small grove for the tent, and then left us, clambering up the mountain-side.  She finally disappeared.  Aggie mixed some muffins for tea, and we invited the young man to join us.  But he was looking downhearted again and refused.