That had been about a year before Mary had written the letter that
Sanderson had found in one of Will Bransford's pockets. The letter
told of the writer's longing to return home. The elder Bransford
declared that his heart had not softened toward the boy and that he
would not answer him. Leaving Dale, Bransford had dropped the letter,
and Dale had picked it up.
Dale still had the letter, and because of his pretended friendship for
the father he had been able to insinuate himself into Mary's good
graces. He had advised Mary to write to her brother, and he had seen
the letter from the younger Bransford in which the latter had told his
sister that he would return.
After reading Will Bransford's letter, and learning from Mary that she
was sending a thousand dollars to her brother, Dale wrote to a friend
in Tucson. Dale's letter accompanied Mary's to the latter town, and
the evil-visaged fellow who received it grinned widely in explaining
the circumstance to two of his friends.
"We'll git him, sure as shootin'," he said.
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