He waited for night, and after the brightness of the fires had somewhat lessened he assayed to creep out of the brake.

He succeeded in reaching the foot of the bluff, here only a bank, and had begun to crawl stealthily up under cover of a shadow when a hound again betrayed his position.

Retreating to the willows was as perilous a task as had ever confronted Duane, and when he had accomplished it, right under what seemed a hundred blazing rifles, he felt that he had indeed been favored by Providence.

This time men followed him a goodly ways into the brake, and the ripping of lead through the willows sounded on all sides of him.
When the noise of pursuit ceased Duane sat down in the darkness, his mind clamped between two things--whether to try again to escape or wait for possible opportunity.

He seemed incapable of decision.