Everyone's wild about the killin' of Calder. Jim, ol'
Saunderson, he's put up five thousand out of his own pocket to raise
the price on your head!"
"An' this Whistlin' Dan," said Silent. "I s'pose they're makin' a hero
out of him?"
"Rogers says every man within ten miles is talkin' about him. The
whole range'll know of him in two days. He made a nice play when he
got in. You know they's five thousand out on Haines's head. It was
offered to him by Rogers as soon as Dan brought Lee in. What d'you
think he done? Pocketed the cheque? No, he grabbed it, an' tore it up
small: 'I ain't after no blood money,' he says."
"No," said Silent. "He ain't after no money--he's after me!"
"Tomorrow they bury Calder. The next day Whistlin' Dan'll be on our
trail again--an' he'll be playin' the same lone hand. Rogers offered
him a posse. He wouldn't take it."
"They's one pint that ain't no nearer bein' solved," said Bill Kilduff
in a growl, "an' that's how you're goin' to get Haines loose. Silent,
it's up to you. Which you rode away leavin' him behind."
Silent took one glance around that waiting circle. Then he nodded.
"It's up to me. Gimme a chance to think."
He started walking up and down the room, muttering.
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