sy jog. He
quickened his pace somewhat when he passed through aisles in thick
timber, and, despite his careless attitude in the saddle, he kept a
sharp lookout at all times. For Rathburn was carrying some gold and
bills in a belt under his shirt--which had been examined and returned
to him at the order of the deputy--and he had no intention of being
waylaid. Moreover, the man's natural bearing was one of constant
alertness. He rode for more than two hours without seeing any one.

"Strange," he observed aloud. "This road is used a lot, too. Maybe the
morning's ceremonies has scared all the travelers into the brush."

But, as he turned the next bend in the road, he saw a small cabin in a
little clearing to the right.

Spurred by a desire to obtain some much-needed information, he turned
from the road into the clearing and rode up to the cabin. He doffed
his broad-brimmed hat in haste as he saw a girl.

"Ma'am, I'm a stranger in these woods an' I'm looking for an honest
man or woman to guide me on my way," he said with a flashing smile.

Instead of returning his smile with a gracious word of greeting, the
girl regarded him gravely out of glowing, dark eyes.

"Pretty!" he thought to himself. "Limping lizards, but she's pretty!"

"Where are you from?" the girl asked soberly.

"From yonder mountains, an' then some," he answered with a sweeping
gesture.

"You rode down this morning?"

"I rode down this morning. Down from the toppermost top of the divide
with the wind singing in my whiskers an' the birds warbling in my
ears." He laughed gayly, for he appreciated her puzzled look. "I was
wondering two things," he continued solemnly.

"What might they be?" she asked doubtfully.

"First: Why isn't there more travel on this good road?" he said. "I
haven't seen a soul except yourself and a--a party in an automobile.
Now on a road like this----"

"Where did you meet the automobile?" she asked in a voice which he
interpreted as eager.

"Two hours an' some minutes back--and up. Near a truck which had had
some trouble in the road. Perhaps you heard about it? Turned over on
its side in collapse after some free-thinking gents turned their smoke
wagons toward it."

It was plain she was interested.

"Did--is the automobile still there?" she inquired with a breathless
catch in her voice.

"Oh, no. After some of the passengers had had a little disrespectful
conversation with me, it went on up the road. Are they scarce ar