"It's a damn shame he had to go--like that." Swan glanced back at him, studied Lone's face for an instant and turned into a tributary gully where a stream trickled down over water-worn rocks.

"Here I leave you," he volunteered, as Lone came abreast of him.
"A coyote's crossed up there, and I maybe find his tracks.

I could go do chores for Fred Thurman if nobody's there.

Should I do that?
What you say, Lone ?" "You might drift around by there if it ain't too much out of your way, and see if he's got a man on the ranch," Lone suggested.

"But you better not touch anything in the house, Swan.