“You little fiend,” he snarled, “drop the gun, or I’ll wring your neck.”

“I don’t fear you,” she said, never wincing under the crushing grip on her wrists, “you murderer!”

He said, calmly repossessing himself of his gun, “Now take a long look at your father an’ repeat all the things you was just saying’ to me.”

She stared miserably at her father.  When Silent caught Kate’s hand Cumberland had started forward, but Kilduff and Rhinehart held him.

“What is it, Kate,” he cried.  “What does it mean?”

She explained it briefly:  “This is Jim Silent!”

He remained staring at her with open mouth as if his brain refused to admit what his ear heard.

“There ain’t no use askin’ questions how an’ why she’s here,” said Silent.  “This is the pint.  Lee Haines is behind the bars in Elkhead.  Whistlin’ Dan put him there an’ maybe the girl c’n persuade Dan to bring him out again.  If she don’t—­then everything the lynchin’ gang does to Haines we’re goin’ to do to you.  Git down on your ol’ knees, Cumberland, an’ beg your daughter to save your hide!”

The head of Kate dropped down.

“Untie his hands,” she said.  “I’ll talk with Dan.”

“I knew you’d see reason,” grinned Silent.

“Jest one minute,” said Cumberland.  “Kate, is Lee Haines one of Silent’s gang?”

“He is.”

“An’ Dan put him behind the bars?”

“Yes.”

“If Dan takes him out again the boy’ll be outlawed, Kate.”

“Cumberland,” broke in Kilduff savagely, “here’s your call to stop thinkin’ about Whistlin’ Dan an’ begin figgerin’ for yourself.”

“Don’t you see?” said Kate, “it’s your death these cowards mean.”

Cumberland seemed to grow taller, he stood so stiffly erect with his chin high like a soldier.

“You shan’t make no single step to talk with Dan!”

“Can’t you understand that it’s you they threaten?” she cried.

“I understan’ it all,” he said evenly.  “I’m too old to have a young man damned for my sake.”

“Shut him up!” ordered Silent.  “The old fool!”

The heavy hand of Terry Jordan clapped over Joe’s mouth effectually silenced him.  He struggled vainly to speak again and Kate turned to Silent to shut out the sight.

“Tell your man to let him go,” she said, “I will do what you wish.”

“That’s talkin’ sense,” said Silent.  “Come out with me an’ I’ll saddle your hoss.  Call the wolf.”

He opened the door and in response to her whistle Black Bart trotted out and followed them out to the horse shed.  There the outlaw quickly saddled Kate’s pony.

He said:  “Whistlin’ Dan is sure headin’ back in this direction because he’s got an idea I’m somewhere near.  Bart will find him on the way.”

Silent was right.  That morning Dan had started back towards Gus Morris’s place, for he was sure that the outlaws were camped in that neighbourhood.  A little before noon he veered half a mile to the right towards a spring which welled out from a hillside, surrounded by a small grove of willows.  Having found it, he drank, and watered Satan, then took off the saddle to ease the stallion, and lay down at a little distance for a ten-minute siesta, one of those half wakeful sleeps the habit of which he had learned from his wolf.