CHAPTER XXIV

IN PURSUIT

The four men, heavily armed, and equipped for winter service, rode up the bank of the ravine to the irregularity of plain beyond.  The trail, leading directly south into the solitudes, was easily followed, and Wasson, slightly in advance of the others, made no attempt to check his horse, content to lean forward, his keen eyes marking every sign.  Scarcely a word was exchanged, since Hamlin had explained what had occurred as they crossed the river.  Hardly less interested than the Sergeant, the sober-faced scout concentrated every energy on the pursuit, both men realizing the necessity of haste.  Not only would the trail be difficult to follow after they attained the sand belt, but, if snow fell, would be utterly blotted out.  And the dull, murky sky threatened snow, the sharp wind having already veered to the northwest.  All about stretched a dull, dead picture of desolation, a dun-colored plain, unrelieved by vegetation, matching the skies above, extending in every direction through weary leagues of dismal loneliness.  The searching eye caught no relief from desolate sameness, drear monotony.  Nowhere was there movement, or, any semblance of life.  Behind, the land was broken by ravines, but in every other direction it stretched level to the horizon, except that far off southward arose irregular ridges of sand, barren, ugly blotches, colorless, and forever changing formation under the beating of a ceaseless wind.  It was desert, across which not even a snake crawled, and no wing of migrating bird beat the leaden sky above.

The marks of their horses’ hoofs cutting sharply into the soil, told accurately the fugitives’ rate of progress, and the pursuers swept forward with caution, anxious to spare their mounts and to keep out of vision themselves until nightfall.  Their success depended largely on surprise, and the confidence of those ahead that they were unpursued.  Wasson expressed the situation exactly, as the four halted a moment at an unexpectedly-discovered water-hole.

“I ’d think this yere plain trail was some Injun trick, boys, if I did n’t know the reason fur it.  ’T ain’t Injun nature, but thar ’s a white man ahead o’ that outfit, an’ he ’s cock-sure that nobody ‘s chasin’ him yet.  He ‘s figurin’ on two or three days’ get-a-way, and so don’t care a tinker’s dam ‘bout these yere marks.  Once in the sand, an’ thar won’t be no trail anyhow.  It’s some kintry out thar, an’ it would be like huntin’ a needle in a haystack to try an’ find them fellars after ter-night.  This is my idea—­we’ll just mosey along slow, savin’ the hosses an’ keeping back out o’ sight till dark.  Them fellars ain’t many hours ahead, an’ are likely ter make camp furst part o’ ther night anyhow.  They ‘ll feel safe onct hid in them sand-hills, an’ if they don’t git no sight of us, most likely they won’t even post no guard.  Thet ’s when we want ter dig in the spurs.  Ain’t that about the right program, Sergeant?”