e fire, silent, or only murmuring, they could hear her
moving about. Whatever sleep they got before morning was not free from
dreams, for they knew that something was impending, and after breakfast
they learned what it was. She struck straight out from the shoulder.
She was going up to the cave and if Dan was away she would take Joan by
force; she needed help; would they give it? They sat for a long time,
looking at each other and then avoiding Kate with their eyes. It was
not the fear of death but of something more which both of them connected
with the figure of Whistling Dan. It was not until she took her light
cartridge belt from the wall and buckled on her gun that they rose
to follow. Before the first freshness of the morning passed they were
winding up the side of the mountain, Kate a little in the lead, for she
alone knew the way.

Where they rounded the shoulder, the men reined the horses with which
Kate had provided them and sat looking solemnly at each other.

"Maybe we'll have no chance to talk alone again," said Lee Haines. "This
is the last trail either for Barry or for us. And I don't think that
Barry is that close to the end of his rope. Buck, give me your hand
and say good-bye. All that a man can do against Whistling Dan, and that
isn't much, I'll do. Having you along won't make us a whit stronger."

"Thanks," growled Buck Daniels. "Jes save that kind farewell till I show
yaller. Hurry up, she's gettin' too far ahead."

At the bottom of the ravine, where they dismounted for the precipitous
slope above, Kate showed her first hesitation.

"You both know what it means?" she asked them.

"We sure do," replied Buck.

"Dan will find out that you've helped me, and then he'll never forgive
you. Will you risk even that?"

"Kate," broke in Lee Haines, "don't stop for questions. Keep on and
we'll follow. I don't want to think of what may happen."

She turned without a word and went up the steep incline.

"What d'you think of your soft girl now?" panted Buck at the ear of
Haines. The latter flashed a significant look at him but said nothing.
They reached the top of the canyon wall and passed on among the
boulders.

Kate had drawn back to them now, and they walked as cautiously as if
there were dried leaves under foot.

She had only lifted a finger of warning, and they knew that they were
near to the crisis. She came to the great rock around which she had
first seen the entrance to the cave on the day b