Chapter 45

           Wasitaphantom?Surelyitcouldnotbehuman?

           SoquestionedElCoyoteandhisterrifiedcompanions.So,too,hadthescaredGalwegianinterrogatedhimself,untilhismind,cloudedbyrepeatedappealstothedemijohn,becametemporarilyrelievedoftheterror.

           Inasimilarstrainhadrunthethoughtsofmorethanahundredothers,towhomtheheadlesshorsemanhadshownhimself—thepartyofsearcherswhoaccompaniedthemajor.

           Itwasatanearlierhour,andapointintheprairiefivemilesfarthereast,thattothesetheweirdfigurehadmadeitselfmanifest.

           Lookingwestward,withthesun-glareintheireyes,theyhadseenonlyitsshape,andnothingmore—atleastnothingtoconnectitwithMauricethemustanger.

           Viewingitfromthewest,withthesunathisback,theGalwegianhadseenenoughtomakeoutaresemblancetohismaster—ifnotanabsoluteidentification.

           UnderthelightofthemoonthefourMexicans,whoknewMauriceGeraldbysight,hadarrivedatasimilarconclusion.

           Iftheimpressionmadeupontheservantwasoneofthewildestawe,equallyhaditstrickentheconspirators.

           Thesearchers,thoughlessfrightenedbythestrangephenomenon,werenonethelesspuzzledtoexplainit.

           Uptotheinstantofitsdisappearancenoexplanationhadbeenattempted—savethatjocularlyconveyedinthebizarrespeechoftheborderer.

           "Whatdoyoumakeofit,gentlemen?"saidthemajor,addressingthosethathadclusteredaroundhim:"Iconfessitmystifiesme."

           "AnIndiantrick?"suggestedone.