Page:Honore Willsie--Judith of the godless valley.djvu/299

 pilot was in bad and that would be a good way out."

Douglas swung himself up on the Moose. In the vivid light his lips were twisted contemptuously.

"Glad to help you out personally any way, Doug!" exclaimed Jimmy Day. "But you'd better let the sky pilot go. They ain't going to hurt him. You've been the church buildingest damn fool in the Rockies."

"Speak for yourself, Jimmy!" cried Peter. "I'm with you, Doug."

"And so am I!" exclaimed Judith. "This is the rottenest trick ever sprung in Lost Chief!"

"You will not stir a step after the preacher, miss!" roared John.

Douglas stood in the stirrups facing his old friends and neighbors. But words failed him. He spurred the Moose out onto the trail.

Peter urged his horse up beside the Moose. "Where are you heading for, Doug? You mustn't go off half-cocked."

"I'm going down to Inez' place and see if I can sweat the truth out of her."

"It's a slim chance!"

"I don't think so! It's too dark to follow tracks now, and you can bet they've covered themselves well, anyhow. I have a feeling that Inez knows. She must have been willing to murder the sky pilot after his sermon. If we don't get anything out of her by dawn, we'll get Frank Day and start. I know I can count on him."

"Well, perhaps you're right. Inez has been venomous about this and I can't say that I blame her. Easy now, Doug. The Moose is about all in."

Douglas grunted and the way to Inez' house was covered in silence. Douglas had no sense of confusion, nor of defeat. He was angry, but with his anger was