The roundup had swung in close to the Double E ranch when Swede Anderson was murdered. Four of his men took the body to the ranch, and the rest of the roundup crew sat around the fire behind the mess wagon in gloomy silence. The men were tired, but they did not care to roll into their blankets as early as usual. Violent death under most any circumstances can shake men’s nerves.
With most of the crew Swede Anderson had been popular, and there were low murmurings which boded ill for the murderer if he was ever discovered.
It developed that Bert Cole had been the last man to see Anderson alive, or at least no one would admit having seen the foreman after he had talked with Bert. The other horse wrangler had seen him there, but had not exchanged words with him.
Bert had offered to accompany
