“Shorty,” said Haines calmly, “we all knows that you’re quite a man, but you and Terry are the only ones of us who are surprised that Silent slid away.  The rest of us who saw this Whistling Dan in action aren’t a bit inclined to wonder.  Suppose you were to meet a black panther down here in the willows?”

“I wouldn’t give a damn if I had my Winchester with me.”

“All right, Terry, but suppose the panther,” broke in Hal Purvis, “could sling shootin’ irons as well as you could—­maybe that’d make you partic’ler pleased.”

“It ain’t possible,” said Terry.

“Sure it ain’t,” grinned Purvis amiably, “an’ this Barry ain’t possible, either.  Where you going, Lee?”

Haines turned from his task of saddling his mount.

“Private matter.  Kilduff, you take my place while I’m gone.  I may be back tomorrow night.  The chief isn’t apt to return so soon.”

A few moments later Haines galloped out of the willows and headed across the hills towards old Joe Cumberland’s ranch.  He was remembering his promise to Kate, to keep Dan out of danger.  He had failed from that promise once, but that did not mean that he had forgotten.  He looked up to the yellow-bright mountain stars, and they were like the eyes of good women smiling down upon him.  He guessed that she loved Barry and if he could bring her to Whistling Dan she might have strength enough to take the latter from Silent’s trail.  The lone rider knew well enough that to bring Dan and Kate together was to surrender his own shadowy hopes, but the golden eyes of the sky encouraged him.  So he followed his impulse.

Haines could never walk that middle path which turns neither to the right nor the left, neither up nor down.  He went through life with a free-swinging stride, and as the result of it he had crossed the rights of others.  He might have lived a lawful life, for all his instincts were gentle.  But an accident placed him in the shadow of the law.  He waited for his legal trial, but when it came and false witness placed him behind the bars, the revolt came.  Two days after his confinement, he broke away from his prison and went to the wilds.  There he found Jim Silent, and the mountain-desert found another to add to its list of great outlaws.

Morning came as he drew close to the house, and now his reminiscences were cut short, for at a turn of the road he came upon Kate galloping swiftly over the hills.  He drew his horse to a halt and raised his hand.  She followed suit.  They sat staring.  If she had remembered his broken promise and started to reproach, he could have found answer, but her eyes were big with sorrow alone.  He put out his hand without a word.  She hesitated over it, her eyes questioning him mutely, and then with the ghost of a smile she touched his fingers.

“I want to explain,” he said huskily.

“What?”

“You remember I gave you my word that no harm would come to Barry?”