They were deeply
affected by the fact that this unknown and terrible menace was upon the
range which they were compelled to patrol, and which not even the balls
from a heavy weapon could kill.
"I would hardly have believed it if both of you hadn't seen the
creature," said Kit. "It sounds too much like a pipe dream."
It was morning before Bud and Carl left Kit's camp and rode to their
own. Follansbee was apparently all right, and exhibited no symptoms of
fever, for he had the iron constitution of a seasoned cow-puncher, who
almost invariably recovers as if by magic from a gunshot wound if the
missile does not penetrate a vital spot or splinter a bone.
Follansbee, when he awoke from his sleep, told Kit of his meeting with
the "man without a face," as he called the man who had given him his
wound.
"I wuz ridin' at a pretty good clip along the line to meet Carl," he
began, "when I see a feller standin' waitin' for me by the deep coulee,
about three miles south.
"At first I thought it wuz Carl, but soon I see that it wuz too big fer
the Dutchman.
"I slowed down a bit, fer I saw it wasn't any o' our outfit. Ye see I
had in mind what Ted said about that Sweet Grass Mountain gang, an' I
wuz some skittish.
"As I rode along slowly the feller on the black hoss made a sign as if
he wanted me to foller him.
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