Chapter 11
Shortly after the rain had let up, Matt and Festus left the Kelly farm, hoping they could find some trace of a track that would tell them which way the group had gone. Supplied with jerky, coffee and biscuits from Jim Kelly's hunting provisions, the two men had set off, determined to find their missing friends and make the Sutton gang pay.
Festus peered at the ground anxiously, knowing there were no tracks but hoping something jumped out at him.
A few hours after leaving the Kelly's, they came to a fork in the trail. The north trail led towards Ness City and on to Hays. Limestone and sandstone caves pockmarked the Smoky Hills north of where they were. To the west was nothing but open prairie.
Festus dismounted and peered closely at the ground before him and shook his head.
"What is it, Festus?" Dillon asked quietly.
"Hard ta believe Matthew but they's faint tracks here."
"Which way do they go?" he asked staring hard at the ground before him and not seeing what Festus saw.
Looking up, Festus grimaced at him. "Well, that there's a problem 'cause they go north to the Hills and west toward Garden City."
Dillon looked frustrated, anxious to move on but not wanting to take the wrong trail. He pursed his lips and sighed. "I hate to split up. Two of us against that group are poor odds. One against them…well, I don't want to think about that."
Festus rose from his crouch and stood by Dillon's big buckskin stroking it softly as it nuzzled against him. "Don't see that we got much choice though, Matthew."
Dillon thought it over carefully. Festus was not only the best tracker he had ever known but his instincts were uncanny at times. "All right. You head west and I'll head on north. If you don't find them at the cabin, you cut across to the north trail to get me. Understand? I'll do the same."
"Gotcha, Matthew," he said swinging up into his saddle easily and turning his mount down the west trail. "If'n theys there, I'll wait fer ya ta git there."
"Same here. And Festus?" he said waiting till his friend turned back to him. "Be careful."
Festus smiled and waved a hand at him. "You too, Matthew."