No sound greeted his ears, no moving object caught his gaze.

But he was not satisfied.
He put on his clothes, buckled his cartridge belt around his waist, took his six-shooter from beneath his pillow, and stuck it into the holster, and in his stockinged feet opened the door of the room and stepped out into the hall.

He was of the opinion that something had gone wrong with the horses, and he intended to make the rounds of the stable and corrals to satisfy his curiosity.

Strangely, he did not think of the possibility of Betty meeting Taggart again, until he had reached the bottom of the stairs.

Even then he was half-way across the dining-room, stepping carefully and noiselessly for fear he might awaken someone, when he glanced back with a sudden suspicion, toward the door of the office.