they'll follow us, but we'll lose
them somewhere on the way. Sabe?"

Neale demurred at first to the plan, but consented willingly enough when
Moran promised him extra pay; so he stayed, and we already know the
result. Moran, however, followed out his plans successfully enough, and
before night he reached Crawling Water in safety, while Trowbridge,
getting word through one of his scouts of Wade's rescue, abandoned the
pursuit. He had been prepared to shoot Moran down at sight, but he was
ready enough to leave that work to the man who had a better claim to
the privilege than he had.

Accordingly Moran had ridden into town, exhausted by the exertions of
his trip, and had slept for twelve hours before thinking of anything
else. When he learned on awakening of all that had happened during his
absence, he was furious with rage. Tug Bailey had been arrested and was
on his way to Crawling Water in custody. Senator Rexhill and Helen had
taken an Eastward-bound train without leaving any word for him, and to
crown it all, he presently learned that Neale had been shot and Wade had
been found, and that the whole countryside was aflame with indignation.

It was characteristic of the man that even in this emergency he had no
thought of following his cowardly accomplice in flight. It might be
hopeless to stay and fight, but he was a fighting man, and he really
exulted in the thought of the inevitable struggle that was coming.

Sitting alone in his office studying the situation, he felt the need of
liquor even more strongly than usual, though the habit had grown on him
of late, and accordingly he drank again and again, increasing his rage
thereby, but getting little help towards a solution of his difficulties.

He was enraged most of all at Wade's escape from Coyote Springs and was
still puzzled to think how this had happened, for Senator Rexhill in
leaving had kept his own counsel on that point, and Moran did not dream
of his having betrayed the secret.

Not only had the ranchman been able to turn another trick in the game
by escaping, but he had also evaded Moran's intended vengeance, for the
latter had had no thought of letting his prisoner go alive. He had meant
first to secure Wade's signature, and then to make away with him so
cleverly as to escape conviction for the act.

He realized now, when it was too late, that he had acted too
deliberately in that matter, and he was sorry for it. He considered the
departure of the Rex