He had no plan--but he did believe that Showdown would know
him again. He could not say why. And it was significant of Young
Pete's descent to the lower plane that he should consider Showdown safe
at any time.
Pete was in reality never more unsafe than at the present time. While
space and a swift pony between his knees argued of bodily freedom, he
felt uneasy. Perhaps because of Malvey's occasional covert glance at
Blue Smoke--for Pete saw much that he did not appear to see. Pete
became cautious forthwith, studying the lay of the land. It was a bad
country to travel, being so alike in its general aspect of butte and
arroyo, sand and cacti, that there was little to lay hold upon as a
landmark. A faint line of hills edged the far southern horizon and
there were distant hills to the east and west. They journeyed across
an immense basin, sun-smitten, desolate, unpromising.
"Just plain hell," said Malvey as though reading Pete's thought.
"You act like you was to home all right," laughed Pete.
Malvey glanced quickly at his companion, alive to an implied insult,
but he saw only a young, smooth-cheeked rider in whose dark eyes shone
neither animosity nor friendliness.
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