However, no one in Rickett could guess that another way out remained for him in the fords below Caswell City, and even if they knew, their knowledge would do them no good.

They could not wing a message to that place to head him off; it was not humanly possible.
For Dan knew nothing of the telephone lines which brought Caswell City itself within speaking distance of far away Rickett.

Caswell City, then, was his goal, but to get toward it he must circle far back toward the Morgan Hills, back almost into the teeth of the posse in order to skirt around the right wing of these new enemies.

Even then, to double that flank, he must send Satan ahead at full speed.

As he swung around, the eight men of that end party crashed over the hill five hundred yards away, and their yell at the view of the quarry went echoing up the shallow valley.
The slayer of Pete Glass, he who had done the notorious Killing at Alder, was almost in touch of their revolvers--and their horses were fresh.