It's a gamble he'll be at Gold Mountain before you're half way across.

But if you catch him, here"-- he tossed Marcus a pair of handcuffs--"put 'em on him and bring him back to Keeler." Two days after he had left the posse, and when he was already far out in the desert, Marcus's horse gave out.

In the fury of his impatience he had spurred mercilessly forward on the trail, and on the morning of the third day found that his horse was unable to move.

The joints of his legs seemed locked rigidly.

He would go his own length, stumbling and interfering, then collapse helplessly upon the ground with a pitiful groan.