ed in the door. Then he fired swiftly, shot after shot,
and three men fell. His revolvers were empty. There were three men left.
The case seemed all against him now, but just here a shot, and then
another, came from the window, and a fourth man fell. Pierre sprang upon
one, the other turned and ran. There was a short sharp struggle: then
Pierre rose up--alone.

The girl stood in the doorway. "Come, my dear," he said, "you must go
with me now."

"Yes, Pierre," she cried, a mad light in her face, "I have killed men
too--for you."

Together they ran down the hillside, and made for the stables of the
Fort. People were hurrying through the long street of the town, and
torches were burning, but they came by a roundabout to the stables
safely. Pierre was about to enter, when a man came out. It was Liddall.
He kept his horses there, and he had saddled one, thinking that Pierre
might need it.

There were quick words of explanation, and then, "Must the girl go too?"
he asked. "It will increase the danger--besides--"

"I am going wherever he goes," she interrupted hoarsely. "I have killed
men; he and I are the same now."

Without a word Liddall turned back, threw a saddle on another horse, and
led it out quickly. "Which way?" he asked; "and where shall I find the
horses?"

"West to the mountains. The horses you will find at Tete Blanche Hill,
if we get there. If not, there is money under the white pine at my
cottage. Goodbye!"

They galloped away. But there were mounted men in the main street, and
one, well ahead of the others, was making towards the bridge over
which they must pass. He reached it before they did, and set his horse
crosswise in its narrow entrance. Pierre urged his mare in front of the
girl's, and drove straight at the head and shoulders of the obstructing
horse. His was the heavier animal, and it bore the other down. The rider
fired as he fell, but missed, and, in an instant, Pierre and the girl
were over. The fallen man fired the second time, but again missed. They
had a fair start, but the open prairie was ahead of them, and there was
no chance to hide. Riding must do all, for their pursuers were in full
cry. For an hour they rode hard. They could see their hunters not very
far in the rear. Suddenly Pierre started and sniffed the air.

"The prairie's on fire," he said exultingly, defiantly. Almost as he
spoke, clouds ran down the horizon, and then the sky lighted up. The
fire travelled with incredib