"Hello, Pierre!" Then Dick's eyes fell on Leach Sharkey, and at the very first glance he saw the shackled hands. "But what's the meaning of all this?" he asked in bewildered surprise.
"It means zat you will take zis man down ze mountains. He came to arrest you, but you can tell him now zat you are one free man. You can show him ze paper which proves it was not you, but Don Manuel, who is responsible for ze death of young Thurston."
"Great Caesar!" muttered the sleuth, "I thought that from the first, but the old fool would not listen to me."
"Mr. Sharkey," said Dick, "you and I have no quarrel. What Pierre says is true--I have a sworn affidavit in my pocket, fixing the responsibility for that unhappy affair where it belongs."
"I believe you, Mr. Willoughby," replied the sleuth. "I'm glad you are innocent, but I was only doing my duty in trying to arrest the man charged with the crime."
"I understand all that. I bear you no ill will."
"And I'd shake hands if it were not for these damned bracelets," continued Sharkey.
"Pierre, there is no need of handcuffs," said Dick, turning to the Frenchman. "Set him free. We will go peaceably home together."
"No, no," replied Pierre, determinedly. "Leach Sharkey, he is one giant in strength. He will go home as he is. Besides, I have trown ze key away." And he laughed aloud.
Sharkey nodded in helpless admission of his sorry plight.
"And now," continued Pierre, "zere is no time to be lost. We will help zis man onto your pony, and you will ride my pony and hold ze leading rein."
"But he can't ride with his hands behind his back like that," objected Dick.
"Oh, yes, he can," grinned Pierre. "Ze good horseman ride wid his knees, and most of ze road you can be by his side and hold him on. And it is ze only way, for ze key, as I have said, is gone."
"I suppose we've got to accept the situation," said Dick, with a glance at Sharkey's lugubrious countenance. The man of strength was obviously crestfallen at his almost ridiculous plight of powerlessness.
Pierre resumed his instructions. "You will not go back to Comanche Point, but will take ze mule trail down into ze valley. You know it, Mr. Willoughby--it is about one mile furzer on."
"You will leave Mr. Sharkey at the rancho and zen ride to ze place where your friends are waiting for you. Now, zat is all. I must go. We have already said our _adios_, my dear young friend." Dick grasped the proffered hand and warmly pressed it.