ong the bended branches.

"It seems to me," said Terry Jordan, "which I'm not suggestin'
anything--but it seems to me that the chief was in a considerable
hurry to leave the camp."

"He was," said Hal Purvis, "an' if you seen that play in Morgan's
place you wouldn't be wonderin' why. If I was the chief I'd do the
same."

"Me speakin' personal," remarked Shorty Rhinehart, "I ain't layin' out
to be no man-eater like the chief, but I ain't seen the man that'd
make me take to the timbers that way. I don't noways expect there _is_
such a man!"

"Shorty," said Haines calmly, "we all knows that you're quite a man,
but you and Terry are the only ones of us who are surprised that
Silent slid away. The rest of us who saw this Whistling Dan in action
aren't a bit inclined to wonder. Suppose you were to meet a black
panther down here in the willows?"

"I wouldn't give a damn if I had my Winchester with me."

"All right, Terry, but suppose the panther," broke in Hal Purvis,
"could sling shootin' irons as well as you could--maybe _that'd_ make
you partic'ler pleased."

"It ain't possible," said Terry.

"Sure it ain't," grinned Purvis amiably, "an' this Barry ain't
possible, either. Where you going, Lee?"

Haines turned from his task of saddling his mount.

"Private matter. Kilduff, you take my place while I'm gone. I may be
back tomorrow night. The chief isn't apt to return so soon."

A few moments later Haines galloped out of the willows and headed
across the hills towards old Joe Cumberland's ranch. He was
remembering his promise to Kate, to keep Dan out of danger. He had
failed from that promise once, but that did not mean that he had
forgotten. He looked up to the yellow-bright mountain stars, and they
were like the eyes of good women smiling down upon him. He guessed
that she loved Barry and if he could bring her to Whistling Dan she
might have strength enough to take the latter from Silent's trail. The
lone rider knew well enough that to bring Dan and Kate together was
to surrender his own shadowy hopes, but the golden eyes of the sky
encouraged him. So he followed his impulse.

Haines could never walk that middle path which turns neither to the
right nor the left, neither up nor down. He went through life with
a free-swinging stride, and as the result of it he had crossed the
rights of others. He might have lived a lawful life, for all his
instincts were gentle. But an accident placed him in the shadow of the