well advised in leaving the boy behind.
He had only done so on the score of his crippled condition being a
nuisance to them. However, his doubt found no further expression now,
and his keen eyes watched for the landmarks in a way that left him
little chance of missing them.

At last the first hill came to a distinct end, and the second rose
higher and more rough. Its face was torn and barren, and what timber
there was grew low down almost at its foot. The valley was narrowing,
and the rich prairie grass was changing to a lank tangle of weedy
tufts. There was a suspicion of moisture, too, in the spongy tread.
The sun further lost power here, between these narrowing crags, and,
although summer was well advanced, the ground still bore the moist
traces of the mountain spring.

The second hill was passed quickly. It was merely a split of the
original mountain, the result, no doubt, of a great volcanic upheaval
in the early days of the world. And now, as they rode on, the third
and last landmark before the two lone pines rapidly slipped away
behind them.

The leader bustled his horse. His nervous force was at a great tension
of impatience. He, like the rest of the merciless band, was yearning
for his goal.

At last the two lone pines loomed up. The eyes of the men brightened
with eagerness, and their leader felt certain of the faith he had
placed in Elia's story. Now for the cattle tracks.

As they came abreast of the low bush, the doctor scattered his men in
various directions to hunt for the trail. Nor did the matter take
long. In less than five minutes two of the ranch hands lit on the
tracks simultaneously. A great broad track of hoof-marks deeply
indented in the soft ground stretched away up over the shoulder of the
hill. So plain were they that the horsemen were able to follow them at
a gallop.

Away up the hillside they sped. The way was a sharp incline, but
smooth and wide, and free from obstruction. And in ten minutes they
were pausing to breathe their hard-blowing horses on the shoulder of
the hill, with a wide view and a level track ahead of them.

The doctor turned to order a careful redistribution. They were near
the rustlers' hollow now, he believed, and it was his intention to
leave nothing to chance. Each man received his instructions for the
moment when the hollow should be reached, for Elia had given him full
details of its locality, and the possibilities of approach.

He knew it to be a mere cup