Midnight
But he knew that Silverbell was somewhere east of the Comobabi , not north ; and confidently struck out to find a short cut through the hills . From Silverbell a spur of railroad ran down to Redrock . Mr. Johnson 's thought was to entrain himself for Tucson . The Midnight horse reached along in a brisk , swinging walk , an optimistic walk , good for four miles an hour . He had held that gait since three o'clock in the morning , with an hour off for water and breakfast at Smith 's Wells , the first stage station out from Cobre ; it was now hot noon by a conscientious sun -- thirty-six miles . But Midnight did not care . For hours their way had been through a trackless plain of uncropped salt grass , or grama , on the rising slopes : now they were in a country of worn and freshly traveled trails : wise Midnight knew there would be water and nooning soon .