Minutes brought them over the invisible line which divides lawful country from lawless.

They went on, until Johnny spied again the group of stolen horses being herded loosely in a shallow arroyo where there was a little sparse grass.

The men he did not at first see, save the one on herd.
Then he thought he could detect them sprawled in the shade of a few stunted trees.
Apparently they felt safe, close though they were to the line.

Indeed, they were safe enough--from horsemen riding down from the Rolling R.So far they had thieved at their leisure and with impunity.

The element of risk had been discounted until they no longer considered it at all, except when they were actually within the Rolling R Boundaries.