Part 107 (2/2)

I'm still figuring why he didn't open fire.”

”Waiting for a better chance, maybe,” suggested Amy.

”Must be. But what better chance does he want, unless he aims to get Bob here, with a club?”

They followed the tracks left by Saleratus Bill until it was evident beyond doubt that the gun-man had in reality departed. Then they started to retrace their steps.

”Why not cut across?” asked Bob.

”I want to see whereabouts I _was_ shooting,” said Ware.

”We'll cut across and wait for you on the road.”

”All right,” Ware agreed.

They made their short-cut, and waited. After a minute or so Ware shouted to them.

”Hullo!” Bob answered.

”Come here!”

They returned down the dusty mill road. Just beyond the forks Ware was standing, looking down at some object. As they approached he raised his face to them. Even under its tan, it was pale.

”Guess this is another case of innocent bystander,” said he gravely.

Flat on his back, arms outstretched in the dust, lay Oldham, with a bullet hole accurately in the middle of his forehead.

x.x.xV

”Good heavens!” cried Amy. ”What an awful thing!”

”Yes, ma'am,” said Ware; ”this is certainly tough. But I can't see but it was a plumb accident. Who'd have thought he'd be coming along the road just at that minute.”

”Of course, you're not to blame,” Amy rea.s.sured him quickly. ”We must get help. Of course, he's quite dead.”

Ware nodded, gazing down at his victim reflectively.

”I was shootin' a little high,” he remarked at last.

Up to this moment Bob had said nothing.

”If it will relieve your mind, any,” he told Ware, ”it isn't such a case of innocent bystander as you may think. This man is the one who hired Saleratus Bill to abduct me in the first place; and probably to kill me in the second. I have a suspicion he got what he deserved.”

”Oh!” cried Amy, looking at him reproachfully.

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