those callous hearts.

"You will travel, as I said, with these gringos," pursued Bellew,
"and glean all the information you can. Then, when you have found
out all about where they mean to go, and how long they mean to stay
and so on, you will find an opportunity to drop out of their
company."

"Si senor," quavered the man, "and then--"

"And then you will be met by us. We shall take care of you."

"But Senor Bell and the senoritas?"

"We will take care of them, too," was the grim response.

It was not till the next day, at noon, that the three desert hawks
left the hotel, long after the departure of the Bell party. They
rode slowly in the opposite direction to that in which the other
party had gone, till they had gotten out of sight of the little
town. Then, taking advantage of every dip and rise in the surface
of the plain, they retraced their steps and soon were riding on the
track of the Bell outfit.

"Whar wa'ar you all ther forenoon?" asked the black-mustached man
of Red Bill as they rode along.

"I was doing a bit of profitable business," was the rejoinder.

"Selling something?"