The three men exchanged glances. They were very weary; they had used almost the last of their powers to bring the outlaw this far; and they were plainly reluctant to undertake another tussle with the tireless animal, now ready, without doubt, to renew his struggle for liberty. Huntington watched them narrowly. "I'm all in!" grumbled Raley. "You look it," said Huntington. Then he added lightly: "Still, you ought to fetch up at Haig's place before morning." Marion felt disgust and resentment rising in her at this misrepresentation of the distance to Haig's ranch. Whatever Haig had done, this was cowardly and unfair. She looked eagerly at the other men, expecting to hear some one correct the gross exaggeration. But the faces were all blank, and no one spoke. Something like a groan escaped from the lips of the injured cowboy. He looked as if he might tumble from the saddle at any instant. "Sure we can!" said Larkin doggedly. "Come, men! Let's move on." "Well, good luck!" said Huntington carelessly. And then, as if on second thought: "But see here! You fellows look all right to me, and if Haig's changed his mind, or hasn't got the cash handy, bring the horse back here, and I'll talk business with you." "Talk business now!" Smith blurted out, averting his eyes from Larkin. "Very well. I'll give you five hundred for him--if you don't want to go any farther. He ain't worth it, but he's a kind of a curiosity, and--" "That ain't talkin' business worth a dam'!" cried Larkin. "Come along, men!" He turned his pony's head, and took a fresh grip on the halter that held the prisoner. Smith moved also, though slowly, but Raley did not budge. "I'm damned if I go any further!" he growled. Smith stopped, and looked uncertainly from Raley to Larkin, from Larkin to Huntington, who was studying him craftily. "The five hundred isn't wind," said Huntington sneeringly. "It's over there in Thompson's safe, if you want it." "We'll see Haig first," said Larkin, compressing his lips, and speaking more to his companions than to Huntington.