er was beyond his cruelty by that time, for its
neck had been broken by the fall.

Oh! it was one of those sights which are fitted to make even thoughtless
men recognise the need of a Saviour for the human race, and to reject
with something like scorn the doctrine--founded on wholly insufficient
evidence--that there is no future of compensation for the lower animals!

The outlaw did not waste time in vain regrets. Bestowing a meaningless
curse on the dead charger, he turned and went up the narrow glen at a
smart pace, but did not overstrain himself, for he knew well that none
of the troop-horses could have kept up with him. He counted on having
plenty of time to warn his comrades and get away without hurry. But he
reckoned without his host--being quite ignorant of the powers of Black
Polly, and but slightly acquainted with those of her master Hunky Ben.

Indeed so agile were the movements of Polly, and so thoroughly was the
scout acquainted with the by-paths and short cuts of that region, that
he actually passed the fugitive and reached the head of Traitor's Trap
before him. This he managed by forsaking the roads, keeping a
straighter line for the outlaws' cave, and passing on foot over the
shoulder of a hill where a horseman could not go. Thus he came down on
the cavern, about half-an-hour before Jake's arrival. Clambering to the
crevice in the cliff against which the cave abutted, and sliding down
into a hollow on its earthen roof, he cautiously removed a small stone
from its position, and disclosed a hole through which he could both hear
and see most of what took place inside.

Lest any one should wonder at the facility with which the ground lent
itself to this manoeuvre, we may as well explain that the bold scout
possessed one of those far-reaching minds which are not satisfied
without looking into _everything_,--seeing to the bottom of, and peering
round to the rear of, all things, as far as possible. He always acted
on the principle of making himself acquainted with every road and track
and by-path, every stream, pond, river, and spring in the land. Hence
he was well aware of this haunt of outlaws, and, happening to be near it
one day when its owners were absent, he had turned aside to make the
little arrangement of a peep-hole, in the belief that it might possibly
turn out to be of advantage in course of time!

The clump of shrubs and grass on the rugged bank, which formed the top
of the cave, effectu