ands. Down the bank they rode at a sharp trot
for a mile and a half until Black Bart, who scouted ahead of them at
his gliding wolf-trot, came to an abrupt stop. Dan spoke to Satan and
the stallion broke into a swift gallop which left the pony of Tex
Calder labouring in the rear. When they drew rein beside the wolf,
they found seven distinct tracks of horses which went down the bank
of the river and crossed the basin. Calder turned with a wide-eyed
amazement to Dan.

"You're right again," he said, not without a touch of vexation in his
voice; "but the dog stopped at these tracks. How does he know we are
hunting for Silent's crew?"

"I dunno," said Dan, "maybe he jest suspects."

"They can't have a long start of us," said Calder. "Let's hit the
trail. Well get them before night."

"No," said Dan, "we won't."

"Why won't we?"

"I've seen Silent's hoss, and I've ridden him. If the rest of his gang
have the same kind of hoss flesh, you c'n never catch him with that
cayuse of yours."

"Maybe not today," said Calder, "but in two days we'll run him down.
Seven horses can't travel as two in a long chase."

They started out across the basin, keeping to the tracks of Silent's
horses. It was the marshal's idea that the outlaws would head on a
fairly straight line for the railroad and accordingly when they lost
the track of the seven horses they kept to this direction. Twice
during the day they verified their course by information received once
from a range rider and once from a man in a dusty buck-board. Both of
these had sighted the fast travelling band, but each had seen it pass
an hour or two before Calder and Dan arrived. Such tidings encouraged
the marshal to keep his horse at an increasing speed; but in the
middle of the afternoon, though black Satan showed little or no signs
of fatigue, the cattle-pony was nearly blown and they were forced to
reduce their pace to the ordinary dog-trot.

CHAPTER XVII

THE PANTHER'S PAW

Evening came and still they had not sighted the outlaws. As dark fell
they drew near a house snuggled away among a group of cottonwoods.
Here they determined to spend the night, for Calder's pony was now
almost exhausted. A man of fifty came from the house in answer to
their call and showed them the way to the horse-shed. While they
unsaddled their horses he told them his name was Sam Daniels, yet
he evinced no curiosity as to the identity of his guests, and they
volunteered no informa