They went to a nearby livery stable to pick up John Sun Horse’s swaybacked mare.
“This is your horse?” Clint asked.
“Yes.”
Clint looked the animal over while Sun Horse tossed a blanket on her back.
“What’s wrong with my horse?” the Cherokee asked. “She’s a good animal.”
“She’s kind of long in the tooth,” Clint commented. “What is she, about ten years old?”
“She’ll do fine,” Sun Horse said. “She always has.” He affixed a bridle to the horse and then looked at Clint. “Where’s your horse?”
“In front of the sheriff’s office.”
“Well, I am ready.”
“Fine,” Clint said. “I just hope your horse can keep up.”
“Sheba will keep up.”
“Sheba?”
Sun Horse stared at him, no sign of humor in his eyes.
“Oh, all right,” Clint said. “Come on, Sheba.”
* * *
“This is your horse?” Sun Horse asked when they reached Eclipse.
“That’s right.”
John Sun Horse looked Eclipse over.
“Still think your Sheba can keep up?”
“You just watch.”
They both mounted their horses, Clint sitting considerably higher than Sun Horse.
“You lead the way,” Sun Horse said.
“Don’t you know where the Canby place is?”
“I do,” Sun Horse said, “but I do not know where this man who was watching you was standing.”
“Good point. But maybe I should take you to the place where I lost his trail.”
“I want to see where he was when he was watching you,” Sun Horse said. “I want to see his tracks, and his horse’s tracks. Then I will be able to recognize them when I see them.”
“All right, that makes sense. I’ll take the lead.”
They rode out of town.
* * *
“He was right here,” Clint said when they reached the hillside.
John Sun Horse nodded and dismounted. He handed the reins of his horse to Clint, who had to admit that the ten-year-old mare had, indeed, kept up with Eclipse.
Sun Horse walked the area, always looking down, crouching from time to time. Clint thought this was a good way to judge the man’s abilities. If he tracked the man to the same point Clint had lost him, then he surely knew what he was doing.
“All right,” Sun Horse said, reclaiming his reins and mounting up.
“Want me to take you to the place where I lost him?” Clint asked.
“No,” Sun Horse said. “I will track him that far myself.”
“Okay,” Clint said. “You’re the expert.”
“That’s right,” John Sun Horse said with no hint of humor on his stolid face. “I am.”