black. "Now, Kate, what are you
going to do?"

Kate had walked out and was indignantly throwing the lines over her
horse's neck. "I'm going home," she answered, as sharply as the words
could be spoken.

Belle crossed the sidewalk to her side: "This is a poor time of day for
a long ride. We've quarreled, I know, but don't try a mountain trail a
night like this. The rain isn't over yet."

"I'll be home before it starts again," returned Kate, springing into
the saddle. "I'm sick of this town and everybody in it."

So saying, she struck her horse with the lines and headed for the
mountains.

CHAPTER XXIV

NIGHT AND A HEADER

For John Lefever the rainy night promised to be a busy one; darkness
and the storm would, he felt, give Laramie a chance to get Hawk safely
into town; but to do this successfully would call for precaution.

The rain had hardly begun to fall that afternoon--to the discomfiture
of Kate and her undoing with Belle--before Lefever began to cheer up in
speculating on what might be done. He found Laramie at the hotel and
set out to round up Sawdy. The rendezvous was set at Kitchen's barn
and half an hour later the three men were shut up in the old harness
room back of the office to talk the venture over.

Laramie made no effort to discourage John concerning the project; it
had become a pet one with the big fellow; but he did not give the idea
strong endorsement. "You're too blamed pessimistic, Jim," growled
Lefever.

"No, John," protested Laramie evenly, "I'm only trying to see things as
they stand. Don't figure we are going to pull this thing without
trouble. Harry Van Horn's got a good guess that Dave is pretty well
shot up; and that he's hiding out. He knows a man can't hide out
without friends."

"I grant you that," interrupted John. "But if you can get him across
the Crazy Woman, Jim, it's a cinch to run him into town."

"Don't figure that every mile of that road isn't watched, for it is. I
ride it oftener than you and I see plenty of sign. And Harry knows
what a rainy night means just as well as we do. He'll be on the job
with his men--that's all I'm saying. Now, go ahead. You want Abe
brought in--that's your business. I'm here to bring him in--that's my
business. Shoot."

Laramie and Lefever arranged things. Number Seventy-eight, the through
fast freight, would be due to leave Sleepy Cat for Medicine Bend at
4:32 in the morning. The crew were friendly. Could