reporting, indeed, that not the faintest sign
indicated escape in any direction.

Billy knew his man. The tightening of Black Hank's close-knit brows
meant but one thing. One does not gain chieftainship of any kind in the
West without propping his ascendency with acts of ruthless decision.
Billy leaped from his cracker-box with the suddenness of the puma,
seized Black Hank firmly about the waist, whirled him into a sort of
shield, and began an earnest struggle for the instant possession of the
outlaw's drawn revolver. It was a gallant attempt, but an unsuccessful
one. In a moment Billy was pinioned to the floor, and Black Hank was
rubbing his abraded fore-arm. After that the only question was whether
it should be rope or bullet.

Now, when Billy had gone downstairs, the stranger had wasted no further
time at the window. He had in his possession fifty thousand dollars in
greenbacks which he was to deliver as soon as possible to the Spotted
Tail agency in Wyoming. The necessary change of stage lines had forced
him to stay over night at Billy Knapp's hotel.

The messenger seized his bag and softly ran along through the
canvas-partitioned room wherein Billy slept, to a narrow window which he
had already noticed gave out almost directly into the pine woods. The
window was of oiled paper, and its catch baffled him. He knew it should
slide back; but it refused to slide. He did not dare break the paper
because of the crackling noise. A voice at his shoulder startled him.

"I'll show you," whispered the red-cheeked girl.

She was wrapped loosely in a blanket, her hair falling about her
shoulders, and her bare feet showed beneath her coverings. The little
man suffered at once an agony of embarrassment in which the thought of
his errand was lost. It was recalled to him by the girl.

"There you are," she whispered, showing him the open window.

"Thank you," he stammered, painfully, "I assure you--I wish----"

The girl laughed under her breath.

"That's all right," she said, heartily, "I owe you that for calling old
whiskers off his bronc," and she kissed him.

The messenger, trembling with self-consciousness, climbed hastily
through the window; ran the broad loop of the satchel up his arm; and,
instead of dropping to the ground, as the girl had expected, swung
himself lightly into the branches of a rather large scrub-oak that grew
near. She listened to the rustle of the leaves for a moment as he neared
the trunk, and th