edge of the T-T land.
That--that was all."

Buck's face lighted with somber satisfaction. "It's a good bit," he said
briefly. "When they started off did you notice which way they went?"

"Pedro rode past the house toward the lower gate. Lynch went straight down
the slope toward the bunk-house. He was leading Mary's horse. I ran a
little way after them and saw them cross the creek this side of the middle
pasture gate."

Buck shot a glance at Jessup. "The north pasture!" he muttered. "He knows
there'll be no one around there, and it'll be the safest way to reach the
T-T trail. I'll saddle a fresh cayuse and be off." He turned to Mrs.
Archer. "Don't you worry," he said, with a momentary touch on her shoulder
that was at once a caress and an assurance. "I'll bring her back."

"You must!" she cried. "They said something--It isn't possible that he
can--force her to--to marry him?"

"A lot of things are possible, but he won't have the chance," replied
Stratton grimly. "Bud, you stay here with Mrs. Archer, and I'll--"

"Oh, no!" protested the old lady. "You must both go. I don't need any one.
I'm not afraid of being here alone. No one will come--now."

"Why couldn't I go after Hardenberg and get him to take a bunch around the
south end of the hills," suggested Jessup quickly. "They might be able to
head him off."

"All right," nodded Stratton curtly. "Go to it."

Inaction had suddenly grown intolerable. He would have agreed to anything
save the suggestion that he delay his start even for another sixty
seconds. With a hurried good-by to Mrs. Archer, he hastened from the room,
swung into his saddle, and rode swiftly around to the corral. A brief
search through the darkness showed him that only a single horse remained
there. He lost not a moment in roping the animal, and was transferring his
saddle from Pete, when Bud appeared.

"You'll have to catch a horse from the _remuda_," he said briefly. "I've
taken the last one. Turn Pete into the corral, will you, and give him a
little feed." Straightening up, he turned the stirrup, mounted swiftly,
and spurred his horse forward. "So-long," he called back over one
shoulder.

The thud of hoofs drowned Bud's reply, and as the night closed about him,
Buck gave a faint sigh of relief. There was a brief delay at the gate, and
then, heading northwest, he urged the horse to a canter.

He was taking a chance in following this short cut through the middle
pasture, but he felt he had