"Sure thing!" said Deering. "Jimmy reckons you his friend. Well, I want
to know how he got away."
Jardine told him and Deering pondered. He had undertaken an awkward
job, and since he saw some obstacles, he resolved to give the rancher
his confidence. Among the trees the frost was not keen and the sun was
on the road. Deering indicated a spruce log and pulled out some cigars.
"Suppose we take a smoke and talk," he said, and when Jardine lighted a
cigar resumed: "Won't Miss Margaret's shooting the fellow's horse make
trouble for her?"
"I reckon not," said Jardine, who had heard the trooper's statement, and
when he got a note from Margaret remarked that the narratives did not
agree. "I'm thinking the boys dinna mean to pit it on Margaret and the
trooper's no' altogether prood."
"It's possible. But why didn't _you_ put Jimmy wise?"
"I'd cut my foot chopping, a day or two before."
Deering rather doubted if Jardine's cutting his foot accounted for all,
but he said, "Let's talk straight! I suppose Miss Margaret is going to
marry Leyland?"
"Maybe, but I dinna ken. Jimmy wanted to marry her."
"Very well," said Deering. "I'll tell you all I know."
He narrated his interview with Laura and Stannard's going to Jimmy's
help. Jardine's look got thoughtful and sometimes he frowned. When
Deering stopped he said, "Ye dinna trust Stannard! Ye'd sooner Jimmy
hadna gone across the rocks wi' him?"
"I would sooner he had not," Deering agreed. "Jimmy trusts Stannard,
the others are tenderfoots, and I understand they have not a first-class
guide."
"The man they've got is no' a mountain guide ava; Gillane's a packer on
the Government surveys. But I dinna see much light yet. Jimmy owes
Stannard a guid sum."
"Leyland insured his life in Stannard's favor and Stannard wants money.
Well, I'm going up the line with the construction gang to follow the
party's trail."