There was a moment of silence.

“He’s reachin’ out his hand for Black Bart.  His fingers is on those of the girl.  They’s both starin’.”

“Ay, ay!” she said.  “An’ what now?”

But Sam closed the door and set his back to it, facing his wife.

“I reckon the rest of it’s jest like the endin’ of a book, ma,” he said.

“Men is all fools!” whispered Mrs. Daniels, but there were tears in her eyes.

Sam went out to put up Kate’s horse in the stable.  Mrs. Daniels sat in the dining-room, her hands clasped in her lap while she watched the grey dawn come up the east.  When Sam entered and spoke to her, she returned no answer.  He shook his head as if her mood completely baffled him, and then, worn out by the long watching, he went to bed.

For along time Mrs. Daniels sat without moving, with the same strange smile transfiguring her.  Then she heard a soft step pause at the entrance to the room, and turning saw Kate.  There was something in their faces which made them strangely alike.  A marvellous grace and dignity came to Mrs. Daniels as she rose.

“My dear!” she said.

“I’m so happy!” whispered Kate.

“Yes, dear!  And Dan?”

“He’s sleeping like a child!  Will you look at him?  I think the fever’s gone!”

They went hand in hand—­like two girls, and they leaned above the bed where Whistling Dan lay smiling as he slept.  On the floor Black Bart growled faintly, opened one eye on them, and then relapsed into slumber.  There was no longer anything to guard against in that house.

* * * * *

It was several days later that Hal Purvis, returning from his scouting expedition, met no less a person that Sheriff Gus Morris at the mouth of the canyon leading to the old Salton place.

“Lucky I met you, Hal,” said the genial sheriff.  “I’ve saved you from a wild-goose chase.”

“How’s that?”

“Silent has jest moved.”

“Where?”

“He’s taken the trail up the canyon an’ cut across over the hills to that old shanty on Bald-eagle Creek.  It stands—­”

“I know where it is,” said Purvis.  “Why’d he move?”

“Things was gettin’ too hot.  I rode over to tell him that the boys was talkin’ of huntin’ up the canyon to see if they could get any clue of him.  They knowed from Joe Cumberland that the gang was once here.”

“Cumberland went to you when he got out of the valley?” queried Purvis with a grin.

“Straight.”

“And then where did Cumberland go?”

“I s’pose he went home an’ joined his gal.”

“He didn’t,” said Purvis drily.

“Then where is he?  An’ who the hell cares where he is?”

“They’re both at Buck Daniels’s house.”

“Look here, Purvis, ain’t Buck one of your own men?  Why, I seen him up at the camp jest a while ago!”

“Maybe you did, but the next time you call around he’s apt to be missin’.”