point the secret
path across the mire began. The man with the gold chevrons upon his arm
ignored the remark of his companion, but answered with words which
occurred in his own train of thought.

"It's plain enough, I guess. Yonder is the direction taken by the
cattle," he said, nodding his head towards the distant peaks of the
mountains beyond. "But who's got the nerve to follow 'em? Say," he went
on sharply, "somewhere along this bank, I mean in the mile and a half of
hoof marks, there's a path turns out, or, at least, firm ground by which
it is possible to cross this devil's keg. It must be so. Cattle can't be
spirited away. Unless, of course--but no, a man don't duff cattle to
drown 'em in a swamp. They've crossed this pernicious mire, boys. We may
nab our friend, Retief, but we'll never clap eyes on those beasts."

"It's the same old business over again, sergeant," said one of the
troopers. "I was on this job before, and I reckon we landed hereabouts
every time we lit on Retief's trail. But we never got no further. Yonder
keg is a mighty hard nut to crack. I guess the half-breed's got the
bulge on us. If path across the mire there is he knows it and we don't,
and, as you say, who's goin' to follow him?" Having delivered himself of
these sage remarks he stepped to the brink of the mire and put his foot
heavily upon its surface. His top-boot sank quickly through the yielding
crust, and the black subsoil rose with oily, sucking action, 'and his
foot was immediately buried out of sight. He drew it out sharply, a
shudder of horror quickening his action. Strong man and hardy as he was,
the muskeg inspired him with a superstitious terror. "Guess there ain't
no following them beasties through that, sergeant. Leastways, not for
me."

Horrocks had watched his subordinate's action thoughtfully. He knew,
without showing, that no man or beast could attempt to cross the mire
with any hope of success without the knowledge of some secret path. That
such a path, or paths, existed he believed, for many were the stories of
how criminals in past days escaped prairie law by such means. However,
he had no knowledge of any such paths himself, and he had no intention
of sacrificing his life uselessly in an attempt to discover the keg's
most jealously guarded secret.

He turned back to his horse and prepared to vault into the saddle.

"It's no use, boys. We are done for to-day. You can ride back to the
settlement. I have another little