n passed. Straightening up, he
sheathed his weapon and began a slow pace before the fire. Not many
moments afterward he jerked his head high and listened. Horses were
softly thudding through the forest. Soon Anson rode into sight with
his men and one of the strayed horses. It chanced, too, that young Burt
appeared on the other side of the glade. He walked quickly, as one who
anticipated news.

Snake Anson as he dismounted espied the dead man.

"Jim--I thought I heard a shot."

The others exclaimed and leaped off their horses to view the prostrate
form with that curiosity and strange fear common to all men confronted
by sight of sudden death.

That emotion was only momentary.

"Shot his lamp out!" ejaculated Moze.

"Wonder how Gunman Riggs liked thet plumb center peg!" exclaimed Shady
Jones, with a hard laugh.

"Back of his head all gone!" gasped young Burt. Not improbably he had
not seen a great many bullet-marked men.

"Jim!--the long-haired fool didn't try to draw on you!" exclaimed Snake
Anson, astounded.

Wilson neither spoke nor ceased his pacing.

"What was it over?" added Anson, curiously.

"He hit the gurl," replied Wilson.

Then there were long-drawn exclamations all around, and glance met
glance.

"Jim, you saved me the job," continued the outlaw leader. "An' I'm much
obliged.... Fellars, search Riggs an' we'll divvy.... Thet all right,
Jim?"

"Shore, an' you can have my share."

They found bank-notes in the man's pocket and considerable gold worn in
a money-belt around his waist. Shady Jones appropriated his boots, and
Moze his gun. Then they left him as he had fallen.

"Jim, you'll have to track them lost hosses. Two still missin' an' one
of them's mine," called Anson as Wilson paced to the end of his beat.

The girl heard Anson, for she put her head out of the spruce shelter and
called: "Riggs said he'd hid two of the horses. They must be close. He
came that way."

"Howdy, kid! Thet's good news," replied Anson. His spirits were rising.
"He must hev wanted you to slope with him?"

"Yes. I wouldn't go."

"An' then he hit you?"

"Yes."

"Wal, recallin' your talk of yestiddy, I can't see as Mister Riggs
lasted much longer hyar than he'd hev lasted in Texas. We've some of
thet great country right in our outfit."

The girl withdrew her white face.

"It's break camp, boys," was the leader's order. "A couple of you look
up them hosses. They'll be hid in some thick spruces. The rest