The Untamed by Max Brand

guards-unlocked my bracelets (God knows where he got the key!)-shoved me onto the bay-drove away with me-shot down two men while his wolf pulled down a third-made my horse jump a set of bars as high as my head-and here I am!"
    There was a general loosening of bandanas. The eyes of Jim Silent gleamed.
    "And all Elkhead knows that he's the man who took you out of jail?" he asked eagerly.
    "Right. He's put his mark on them," responded Haines, "but the girl, Jim!"
    "By God!" said Silent. "I've got him! The whole world is agin him-the law an' the outlaws. He's done for!"
    He stopped short.
    "Unless you're feelin' uncommon grateful to him for what he done for you, Lee?"
    "He told me he hated me like hell," said Haines. "I'm grateful to him as I'd be to a mountain lion that happened to do me a good turn. Now for Kate!"
    "Let him see her," said Silent. "That's the quickest way. Call her out, Haines. We'll take a little walk while you're with her."
    The moment they were gone Haines rushed to the door and knocked loudly. It was opened at once and Kate stood before him. She winced at sight of him.
    "It's I, Kate!" he cried joyously. "I've come back from the dead."
    She stepped from the room and closed the door behind her.
    "What of Dan? Tell me! Was-was he hurt?"
    "Dan?" he repeated with an impatient smile. "No, he isn't hurt. He pulled me through-got me out of jail and safe into the country. He had to drop two or three of the boys to do it."
    Her head fell back a little and in the dim light, for the first time, he saw her face with some degree of clearness, and started at its pallor.
    "What's the matter, Kate-dear?" he said anxiously.
    "What of Dan?" she asked faintly.
    "I don't know. He's outlawed. He's done for. The whole range will be against him. But why are you so worried about him, Kate?-when he told me that you loved me-"
    She straightened.
    "Love?You? "
    His face lengthened almost ludicrously.
    "But why-Dan came for me-he said you sent him-he-" he broke down, stammering, utterly confused.
    "This is why I sent him!" she answered, and throwing open the door gestured to him to enter.
    He followed her and saw the lean figure of old Joe Cumberland lying on a blanket close to the wall.
    "That's why!" she whispered.
    "How does he come here?"
    "Ask the devil in his human form! Ask your friend, Jim Silent!"
    He walked into the outer room with his head low. He found the others already returned. Their carefully controlled grins spoke volumes.
    "Where's Silent?" he asked heavily.
    "He's gone," said Jordan.
    Hal Purvis took Haines to one side.
    "Take a brace," he urged.
    "She hates me, Hal," said the big fellow sadly. "For God's sake, was there no other way of getting me out?"
    "Not one! Pull yourself together, Lee. There ain't no one for you to hold a spite agin. Would you rather be back in Elkhead dangling from the end of a rope?"
    "It seems to have been a sort of-joke," said Haines.
    "Exactly. But at that sort of a joke nobody laughs!"
    "And Whistling Dan Barry?"
    "He's done for. We're all agin him, an' now even the rangers will help us hunt him down. Think it over careful, Haines. You're agin him because you want the girl. I want that damned wolf of his, Black Bart. Kilduff would rather get into the saddle of Satan than ride to heaven. An' Jim Silent won't never rest till he sees Dan lyin' on the ground with a bullet through his heart. Here's four of us. Each of us want something that belongs to him, from his life to his dog. Haines, I'm askin' you man to man, was there any one ever born who could get away from four men like us?"
    * * *
    It was close to sunset time when they reached the old Salton place, where they found Silent sitting on the porch with Haines, Kilduff, Jordan, and Rhinehart. They stood up at sight of the newcomers and shouted a welcome. Buck waved his hand, but his thoughts were not for them. The music he had heard Dan whistle formed in his throat. It reached his lips not in sound but as a smile.
    At the house he swung