The agent had fired three shots.

There had followed other shots, not Billinger's, and after that his carbine had remained silent.

Billinger was among the poplars.

He was hurt or dead.
A well-worn trail, beaten down by transient rangerss big revolver showing over his horse's ears.

A hundred paces and the timber gave place to a sandy dip, in the center of which was the water hole.