t any one what kin read know that they're forbid ter go
through. If they do go through they have ter git robbed; that's all. Ter
save trouble an' money ther most of folks would rather go around ther
other way, or else keep away from Silver Bend, that's all."

"Well, that sounds pretty good, I think, Sedgwick. I reckon I'll have to
go through that pass, just to see what will happen."

"I knowed you would say that, Wild. But if I was you I wouldn't bother
about it. They're a bad lot, an' no mistake--ther men what runs things
in that pass. They say there's about twenty of 'em, an' that ther most
of 'em is tough cowboys what have been forced ter light out fur stealin'
cattle an' sich like. Though there ain't any doubt that some of 'em
lives right in Silver Bend, no one knows who they are. They're a mighty
bad lot, an' since there ain't no chance of catchin' 'em, on account of
ther many caves what's along on either side of ther pass, they've been
doin' business there ever since we opened up ther camp, here, an' a
mighty good business they've done, too."

"That seems a little strange," and our hero shook his head. "What sort
of people are they over in Silver Bend?"

"Oh, about ther same as anywheres else, I s'pose. But I've heard say
that it's ther fault of them what's in charge of affairs over there. It
might be that some of 'em is in with ther outlaws of ther Forbidden
Pass."

"It might be, that's true. Well, Sedgwick, you can bet that I am going
through that pass! I want to meet this gang of robbers, just to see if
they are any different from any other robbers I've come across. How
about it, boys?"

Wild turned and looked at Cheyenne Charlie and Jim Dart as he said the
last.

"Yer kin bet your life we'll go through ther blamed old pass!" the scout
answered, while Dart nodded, as though it was a matter of course.

"I knowed it!" exclaimed Sedgwick. "Ther minute I heard you was here I
know'd that you'd be fur goin' through ther Forbidden Pass. It struck
me, first off that you'd come here jest fur that very, purpose."

"No," answered our hero, shaking his head. "We never heard of Forbidden
Pass. But we are mighty glad to hear of it now, I reckon. Sedgwick, you
know pretty well what we think of gangs of outlaws, and the like."

"I do," was the reply. "If you start after 'em once, you always land 'em
too."

"Well, we'll start after this gang, then. You can bet that we'll come
mighty near landing them, too!"

"I'm