d down, if that time ever comes, I'll get word into
the unsettled country. It'll reach you some day. That's all. Remember,
be a man. Goodby."

Duane, with blurred sight and contracting throat, gripped his uncle's
hand and bade him a wordless farewell. Then he leaped astride the black
and rode out of town.

As swiftly as was consistent with a care for his steed, Duane put a
distance of fifteen or eighteen miles behind him. With that he slowed
up, and the matter of riding did not require all his faculties. He
passed several ranches and was seen by men. This did not suit him, and
he took an old trail across country. It was a flat region with a poor
growth of mesquite and prickly-pear cactus. Occasionally he caught
a glimpse of low hills in the distance. He had hunted often in that
section, and knew where to find grass and water. When he reached
this higher ground he did not, however, halt at the first favorable
camping-spot, but went on and on. Once he came out upon the brow of a
hill and saw a considerable stretch of country beneath him. It had the
gray sameness characterizing all that he had traversed. He seemed to
want to see wide spaces--to get a glimpse of the great wilderness lying
somewhere beyond to the southwest. It was sunset when he decided to camp
at a likely spot he came across. He led the horse to water, and then
began searching through the shallow valley for a suitable place to camp.
He passed by old camp-sites that he well remembered. These, however, did
not strike his fancy this time, and the significance of the change in
him did not occur at the moment. At last he found a secluded spot, under
cover of thick mesquites and oaks, at a goodly distance from the old
trail. He took saddle and pack off the horse. He looked among his
effects for a hobble, and, finding that his uncle had failed to put one
in, he suddenly remembered that he seldom used a hobble, and never on
this horse. He cut a few feet off the end of his lasso and used that.
The horse, unused to such hampering of his free movements, had to be
driven out upon the grass.

Duane made a small fire, prepared and ate his supper. This done, ending
the work of that day, he sat down and filled his pipe. Twilight had
waned into dusk. A few wan stars had just begun to show and brighten.
Above the low continuous hum of insects sounded the evening carol of
robins. Presently the birds ceased their singing, and then the quiet
was more noticeable. When night s