When he ascertained this he tried to save his horse, to check a little that killing gait.

This horse was a magnificent animal, big, strong, fast; but his endurance had never been put to a grueling test.
And that worried Duane.

His life had made it impossible to keep one horse very long at a time, and this one was an unknown quantity.
Duane had only one plan--the only plan possible in this case--and that was to make the river-bottoms, where he might elude his pursuers in the willow brakes.

Fifteen miles or so would bring him to the river, and this was not a hopeless distance for any good horse if not too closely pressed.

Duane concluded presently that the cowboys behind were losing a little in the chase because they were not extending their horses.