Whistling Dan shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve given you my word,” he said, “an’ I’ll do it.  But I guess Dad Cumberland’ll be mighty sore on me.”

A laugh rose from the crowd at Morgan’s place, which they were nearing rapidly.  It was like a mocking comment on Dan’s speech.  As they came closer they could see money changing hands in all directions.

“What’d you do to my hoss?” asked Jim Silent, walking out to meet them.

“He hypnotized him,” said Hal Purvis, and his lips twisted over yellow teeth into a grin of satisfaction.

“Git out of the saddle damn quick,” growled Silent.  “It ain’t nacheral he’d let you ride him like he was a plough-hoss.  An’ if you’ve tried any fancy stunts, I’ll——­”

“Take it easy,” said Purvis as Dan slipped from the saddle without showing the slightest anger.  “Take it easy.  You’re a bum loser.  When I seen the black settle down to his work,” he explained to Dan with another grin, “I knowed he’d nail him in the end an’ I staked twenty on you agin my friend here!  That was sure a slick change of hosses you made.”

There were other losers.  Money chinked on all sides to an accompaniment of laughter and curses.  Jim Silent was examining the roan with a scowl, while Bill Kilduff and Hal Purvis approached Satan to look over his points.  Purvis reached out towards the bridle when a murderous snarl at his feet made him jump back with a shout.  He stood with his gun poised, facing Black Bart.

“Who’s got any money to bet this damn wolf lives more’n five seconds?” he said savagely.

“I have,” said Dan.

“Who in hell are you?  What d’you mean by trailing this man-killer around?”

He turned to Dan with his gun still poised.

“Bart ain’t a killer,” said Dan, and the gentleness of his voice was oil on troubled waters, “but he gets peeved when a stranger comes nigh to the hoss.”

“All right this time,” said Purvis, slowly restoring his gun to its holster, “but if this wolf of yours looks cross-eyed at me agin he’ll hit the long trail that ain’t got any end, savvy?”

“Sure,” said Dan, and his soft brown eyes smiled placatingly.

Purvis kept his right hand close to the butt of his gun and his eyes glinted as if he expected an answer somewhat stronger than words.  At this mild acquiesence he turned away, sneering.  Silent, having discovered that he could find no fault with Dan’s treatment of his horse, now approached with an ominously thin-lipped smile.  Lee Haines read his face and came to his side with a whisper:  “Better cut out the rough stuff, Jim.  This chap hasn’t hurt anything but your cash, and he’s already taken water from Purvis.  I guess there’s no call for you to make any play.”

“Shut your face, Haines,” responded Silent, in the same tone.  “He’s made a fool of me by showin’ up my hoss, an’ by God I’m goin’ to give him a man-handlin’ he’ll never forgit.”