"They's one thing I can't make out, Lee, an' that's how Whistlin' Dan
made his getaway. I'd of bet a thousand bones that he would be dropped
before he could touch his shootin' irons. An' then what happened? Hal
Purvis jest flashed a gun--and that feller shot it out'n his hand.
I never seen a draw like that. His hand jest seemed to twitch--I
couldn't follow the move he made--an' the next second his gun went
off."
He stared at Lee with a sort of fascinated horror.
"Silent," said Haines, "can you explain how the lightning comes down
out of the sky?"
"Of course not."
"Then don't ask me to explain how Whistling Dan made his getaway. One
minute I heard him talkin' with the girl. The next second there was
two shots and when I whirled he was gone. But he'll come back, Jim.
We're not through with him. He slipped away from you and your men like
water out of a sieve, but we won't slip away from him the same way."
Silent stared on again with bowed head.
"He liked the girl, Lee?"
"Any one could see that."
"Then while she's with us he'll go pretty slow. Lee, that's another
reason why she's got to stay with us. My frien', it's time we was
moving out from the willows.
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