A few moments before the beat of its engine in the sky signalized the
approach of the airplane, Muller had decided to go to the ranch and
report to Calomares. He had crossed the landing field afoot and had
just reached the belt of trees when the machine volplaned to the field
behind him.
Although, as has been said, his suspicions were aroused, Muller was
far from suspecting the truth. He had no idea the airplane had been
recovered by its rightful owners and that these latter were about to
make a daring attempt to rescue Mr. Hampton. His thought on the
contrary, was that something--he could not make a more definite
surmise--had gone wrong at the cave.
Therefore, when, after standing several minutes at the belt of trees,
gazing back toward the airplane, he saw a figure start from it for the
ranch house, he believed it was either Von Arnheim or Morales coming
to report.
Muller was a sycophant, the type of man eager to curry favor with
those in authority. He decided he would gain the ear of the great
Calomares first. That would detract somewhat from the glory of the
other when he arrived. Turning he darted for the ranch.
Meantime, Jack was making his way ahead more slowly. While not
attempting to hide, he was on unfamiliar ground and felt that it
behooved him to follow implicitly the directions given by Roy Stone
and make no mistakes.
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