to make them take any interest in the trail. After doing everything
possible for them, their owner sent them to a ranch which was in sight
several miles below in the valley. Several hours were lost to the
party by this incident, though they were in no wise deterred in
following the trail, still having the veteran dog. Late that afternoon
they met a _pastor_ who gave them a description of the robbers.

"Yesterday morning," said the shepherd, in broken Spanish, "shortly
after daybreak, four men rode into my camp and asked for breakfast. I
gave them coffee, but as I had no meat in my quarters, they tried to
buy a lamb, which I have no right to sell. After drinking the coffee
they tendered me money, which I refused. On leaving, one of their
number rode into my flock and killed a kid. Taking it with him, he
rode away with the others."

A good description of the robbers was secured from this simple
shepherd,--a full description of men, horses, colors, and condition
of pack. The next day nothing of importance developed, and the posse
hugged the shelter of the hills skirting the mountain range, crossing
into New Mexico. It was late that night when they went into camp on
the trail. They had pushed forward with every energy, hoping to lessen
the intervening distance between them and the robbers. The following
morning on awakening, to the surprise and mortification of everybody,
the old dog was unable to stand upon his feet. While this was felt to
be a serious drawback, it did not necessarily check the chase.

In bringing to bay over thirty criminals, one of whom had paid the
penalty of his crime on the gallows, master and dog had heretofore
been an invincible team. Old age and physical weakness had now
overtaken the dog in an important chase, and the sympathy he deserved
was not withheld, nor was he deserted. Tenderly as a mother would lift
a sick child, Banks gathered him in his arms and lifted him to one of
the posse on his horse. To the members of the posse it was a touching
scene: they remembered him but a few months before pursuing a flying
criminal, when the latter--seeing that escape was impossible and
turning to draw his own weapon upon the officer, whose six-shooter had
been emptied at the fugitive, but who with drawn knife was ready
to close with him in the death struggle--immediately threw down his
weapon and pleaded for his life.

Yet this same officer could not keep back the tears that came into
his eyes as he l