jolt. Later a halt for feed and water, and on again, the willing
horses taking their rest only as the difficulties of the trail reduced
their pace to a laborious walk.

The man sat alert through it all. There was no question in his mind.
He knew what lay ahead of him somewhere in those vast depths. He knew
that what he looked for was coming just as surely as the Day of Doom.
He did not ask when or where. That was not his way. It might come when
it chose, for his part. He was ready and even yearning for the moment
of its coming.

So his eyes never rested for a moment. Scarce a glance or thought did
he give to his horses. Theirs it was to keep to the trail. Theirs it
was to keep their pace. His was all other responsibility.

The sun was leaning towards the western crags, where, in the distance,
they raised their snow-crowned heads towards the heavens. The ruddy
daylight was deepening to that warmth of color which belongs to day's
old age. The forest shadows appeared to deepen, those dark forests so
far below him in the valleys. Here, where he was racing along at a
high level, all was bright, the air was joyous. Below him lay the
brooding stillness where lurked a hundred unknown dangers. There were
only about fifteen more miles of this broken solitude, and beyond that
stretched a world of waving, gracious grassland right on to the
prairie city whither he was bound.

He stirred; his roving eyes abruptly concentrated. One distant spot on
the rugged landscape held him. He craned forward. The movement caused
him to ease his hand upon the reins. Instantly the horses sprang into
a gallop. So intent was he that for the moment the change passed
unnoticed. He seemed only to have eyes and thought for that distant
hill-top. Then of a sudden he realized the dangerous breakneck speed,
and turned his attention upon his team.

The animals once more reduced to a sober pace, he turned again to the
spot which held his interest; and his eyes grew bright with a smile
that had nothing pleasant in it. He was grinning with a savage joy
more fierce, more threatening, than the cruellest frown. The next time
he bestirred himself it was to swing his gun-holsters more handy to
the front of his body.

Later on his interest seemed to lessen. No longer was there that
watchfulness in his eyes. Perhaps it was he deemed there was no longer
the necessity for it. Perhaps what he had seen had satisfied his
restless searching. Anyway, he now sat contemp