he said, thinking of the fear that had seized him while listening to
the shooting. "Once a man lets on he's afraid, the thing keeps a
workin' on him till he's certain sure he's a coward. Them boys didn't
need me, anyway--they'll get Sanderson."

So he justified his lack of courage, and spent some hours reading. But
at last the strain grew too great, and as the dusk came on he began to
have thoughts of Dal Colton. Ben Nyland must have reached home by this
time. Had Colton succeeded?

He thought of riding to Nyland's ranch, but he gave up that idea when
he reasoned that perhaps Colton had failed, and in that case Nyland
wouldn't be the most gentle person in the world to face on his own
property.

If Colton had succeeded he would find him, in Okar. So he mounted his
horse and rode to Okar.

The town seemed to be deserted when he dismounted in front of the City
Hotel. He did not go inside the building, merely looking in through
one of the windows, and seeing a few men in there, playing cards in a
listless manner. He did not see Colton.

He looked into several other windows. Colton was nowhere to be seen.
In several places Dale inquired about him. No one had seen Colton that
day.

No one said anything to Dale about what had happened. Perhaps they
thought he knew. At any rate, Dale heard no word of what had
transpired during his absence. Men spoke to him, or nodded--and looked