Annixter turned his horse from the road and rode across the ranch land to meet this new object of interest.

As the spot grew larger, it resolved itself into constituents, a collection of units; its shape grew irregular, fragmentary.

A disintegrated, nebulous confusion advanced toward Annixter, preceded, as he discovered on nearer approach, by a medley of faint sounds.

Now it was no longer a spot, but a column, a column that moved, accompanied by spots.

As Annixter lessened the distance, these spots resolved themselves into buggies or men on horseback that kept pace with the advancing column.