hurriedly.

His men looked and looked, and one by one shook their heads.

"He's come from far," said one.

"Thet's a fine hoss," said another.

"A strange rider."

"Huh! he wears black leather," added a fourth.

With a wave of his hand, enjoining silence, Tull stepped forward
in such a way that he concealed Venters.

The rider reined in his mount, and with a lithe forward-slipping
action appeared to reach the ground in one long step. It was a
peculiar movement in its quickness and inasmuch that while
performing it the rider did not swerve in the slightest from a
square front to the group before him.

"Look!" hoarsely whispered one of Tull's companions. "He packs
two black-butted guns--low down--they're hard to see--black akin
them black chaps."

"A gun-man!" whispered another. "Fellers, careful now about
movin' your hands."

The stranger's slow approach might have been a mere leisurely
manner of gait or the cramped short steps of a rider unused to