"Es God's lookin' down on us, ef a man kin do hit----" he swore in an
emotion-shaken voice, "hit'll be done."

Later that evening Alexander announced her decision and from it she
refused to depart. As soon as she could transact business at the bank
the next day she would set out on a hired mule, with the money in her
saddle-bags. She would tolerate no escort, because one person could
travel secretly where several could not. However when she had
progressed a certain distance she would turn the mule back. The only
reason for its use, at all, would be to make it appear that she was
going by the route which the robbers assumed.

Then, depending upon a woodcraft which she trusted, she would swing out
at a circle on foot, holding to the laurel thickets and pass, not
through but around and above the Gap, which seemed the logical place
for a holdup. She consented that her assembled body-guard should, if
they insisted, push on and mobilize at Viper, where if suspicious
circumstances warranted, they might be near enough to take emergency
action. If she came through safely to Perry Center, she would be
secure in the house of a kinsman and from there on would have little to
fear.

At ten o'clock the next morning Alexander came out of the bank,
followed by Bud Sellers, who carried his own saddle-bags over his arm,
as if he too contemplated a journey. Brent, in order to avoid the
appearance of too close a participation in her affairs, did not
accompany her--nor was Halloway anywhere in evidence.

As the girl went out to where her hired mule stood hitched, various
observers along the ragged street noted that her rifle was strapped
under the saddle skirt in such a way that it could not be speedily
loosened. They also watched as, with no pretense of concealment, she
stuffed into her saddle-hags a parcel done up in heavy brown paper, and
made conspicuous by the bank's red sealing wax. Then, still scornful
of evasion, she mounted and rode away as straight-shouldered and
militant a figure as Jeanne d'Arc herself.

Bud Sellers, looking after her from the door of the bank, was gloomy of
countenance beyond his wont.

CHAPTER IX

As the mule ambled along the mired streets of the wretched hamlet there
were eyes following its course that masked an interest beyond the
usual. If certain men who had attended yesterday's caucus still loafed
inactively about the sidewalks, it was not because they were
indifferent to possibl