lver from Wessner's belt, and stooped for Jack's.

At that instant the Angel rushed past. She tore the gag from Freckles,
and seizing the rope knotted on his chest, she tugged at it desperately.
Under her fingers it gave way, and she hurled it to McLean. The men were
crowding in, and Duncan seized Wessner. As the Angel saw Freckles stand
out, free, she reached her arms to him and pitched forward. A fearful
oath burst from the lips of Black Jack. To have saved his life, Freckles
could not have avoided the glance of triumph he gave Jack, when folding
the Angel in his arms and stretching her on the mosses.

The Bird Woman cried out sharply for water as she ran to them. Someone
sprang to bring that, and another to break open the case for brandy.
As McLean arose from binding Wessner, there was a cry that Jack was
escaping.

He was already far in the swamp, running for its densest part in leaping
bounds. Every man who could be spared plunged after him.

Other members of the gang arriving, were sent to follow the tracks
of the wagons. The teamsters had driven from the west entrance, and
crossing the swale, had taken the same route the Bird Woman and the
Angel had before them. There had been ample time for the drivers to
reach the road; after that they could take any one of four directions.
Traffic was heavy, and lumber wagons were passing almost constantly,
so the men turned back and joined the more exciting hunt for a man.
The remainder of the gang joined them, also farmers of the region and
travelers attracted by the disturbance.

Watchers were set along the trail at short intervals. They patrolled the
line and roads through the swamp that night, with lighted torches, and
the next day McLean headed as thorough a search as he felt could be made
of one side, while Duncan covered the other; but Black Jack could not be
found. Spies were set around his home, in Wildcat Hollow, to ascertain
if he reached there or aid was being sent in any direction to him; but
it was soon clear that his relatives were ignorant of his hiding-place,
and were searching for him.

Great is the elasticity of youth. A hot bath and a sound night's sleep
renewed Freckles' strength, and it needed but little more to work the
same result with the Angel. Freckles was on the trail early the next
morning. Besides a crowd of people anxious to witness Jack's capture,
he found four stalwart guards, one at each turn. In his heart he was
compelled to admit that