and safety to the winds, the lover, whose devotion called
for self-effacement, sought only the shortest way, and the shortest way
led past the Quarterhouse.

When he was within a mile of the point where Towers' resort straddled
the state line he met a mounted man with a lantern swinging at his
pommel.

"I kain't tarry ter hev speech with ye, Sim," he said shortly, "I'm in
hot haste."

Yet as the other drawled a question, Bear Cat did tarry and a cold
moisture dewed his temples.

"Did ye know thet yore friend, Jerry Henderson, hed done come back?"
inquired Sim, and Turner's limbs trembled, then grew stiff as saddle
leather.

"Come back! When did he come? Whar is he now?" The questions tumbled
upon each other with a mounting vibrance of impetuosity.

"I war a-ridin' inter the road outen a side path a leetle spell back
when I heered hosses an' so I drawed up ter let 'em go by," the chance
traveler informed him. "I reckon they didn't hardly discern me. I
hadn't lit my lantern then, but one of 'em lighted his pipe with a
match an' I _ree_cognized two faces. One was Mr. Henderson's an' one
was Sam Carlyle's. I seed sev'ral rifles acrost ther saddles, too."

"Which way war they ridin'?"

"'Peared like most likely they war makin' fer ther Quarterhouse."

"I'm obleeged ter ye." And Bear Cat was gone again into the darkness.

When he had turned the first bend his walk broke into a run. His mind
was racing, too. So Henderson had not only come back, but come back
with a reversed allegiance. He was riding with a Towers bodyguard and
bound for a Towers stronghold! The name of Sam Carlyle indicated that
as definitely as if it had been the name of Black Tom Carmichael. In
one way this dropping of all friendly pretense by Jerry made his own
task clearer and easier--but it was the most hazardous thing he had
ever undertaken. Single handed, he must go into the place where
bloodshed was no novelty and take Henderson away, and he went at a run.

Presumably, Jerry Henderson would not stop long in the bar-room, but
would be conducted to the presence of Kinnard Towers, and, with all his
haste, Bear Cat's speed seemed to himself desperately slow.

He and his father had protected this ingrate against Towers' wrath, he
bitterly reflected, and this was their requital. Their guest had used
that hospitality to steal the love of Blossom and then to discard her.
He had deceived her, compromised her, promised her marriage and fled in
th