party would. No jail would be strong enough to keep them away from
you."

Buck was silent, dogged.

"But suppose we were to let you go scot free?"

Buck started. A great flush covered his face.

"I'm taking the advice of Dan Barry in doing this," said Calder.
"Barry thinks you could go straight. Tell me man to man, if I give you
the chance will you break loose from Silent and his gang?"

A moment before, Buck had been steeled for the worst, but this sudden
change loosened all the bonds of his pride. He stammered and choked.
Calder turned abruptly away.

"Dan," he said, "here's the dawn, and it's time for us to hit the
trail."

They rolled their blankets hastily and broke away from the gratitude
which poured like water from the heart of old Sam. They were in their
saddles when Buck came beside Dan. His pride, his shame, and his
gratitude broke his voice.

"I ain't much on words," he said, "but it's you I'm thankin'!"

His hand reached up hesitatingly, and Dan caught it in a firm grip.

"Why," he said gently, "even Satan here stumbles now an' then, but
that ain't no reason I should get rid of him. Good luck--partner!"

He shook the reins and the stallion leaped off after Calder's trotting
pony. Buck Daniels stood motionless looking after them, and his eyes
were very dim.

For an hour Dan and Tex were on the road before the sun looked over
the hills. Calder halted his horse to watch.

"Dan," he said at last, "I used to think there were only two ways of
handling men--one with the velvet touch and one with the touch of
steel. Mine has been the way of steel, but I begin to see there's a
third possibility--the touch of the panther's paw--the velvet with the
steel claws hid beneath. That's your way, and I wonder if it isn't the
best. I think Buck Daniels would be glad to die for you!"

He turned directly to Dan.

"But all this is aside from the point, which is that the whole country
is full of these silent partners of the outlaws. The law plays a lone
hand in the mountain-desert."

"You've played the lone hand and won twenty times," said Dan.

"Ay, but the twenty-first time I may fail. The difference between
success and failure in this country is just the length of time it
takes to pull a trigger--and Silent is fast with a gun. He's the root
of the outlaw power. We may kill a hundred men, but till he's gone
we've only mowed the weeds, not pulled them. But what's the use of
talking? One second will tell the