He was on guard against a danger which he did not understand. The
horse, also, with a high head scanned the circling willows, alert; but
the man for whom the stallion and the wolf watched gave no heed to
either. There was a vacant and dreamy expression in his eye as if he
was searching his own inner heart and found there the greatest enemy
of all. All night they sat in this manner, silent, moveless; the
animals watching against the world, the man watching against himself.
Before dawn he roused himself suddenly, crossed to the sleeping
marshal, and touched him on the arm.
"It's time we hit the trail," he said, as Calder sat up in the
blanket.
"What's happened? Isn't it our job to comb the willows?"
"Silent ain't in the willows."
Calder started to his feet.
"How do you know?"
"They ain't close to us, that's all I know."
Tex smiled incredulously.
"I suppose," he said good humouredly, "that your _instinct_ brought you
this message?"
"Instinct?" repeated Dan blankly, "I dunno."
Calder grew serious.
"We'll take a chance that you may be right. At least we can ride down
the river bank and see if there are any fresh tracks in the sand. If
Silent started this morning I have an idea he'll head across the river
and line out for the railroad.
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