an air of careless badinage that was, for the moment,
suited to his purpose.

"But I don't just understand," he drawled insinuatingly. "Haig hasn't
been away from the Park lately--unless he's gone an' come by night."

A snicker or two, and one loud guffaw rewarded him for this insult to
his absent foe. But Marion felt the color rising to her cheeks.

"It's a year ago he's seen him, 'way off, shinin' in the sun,"
explained Larkin. "He stops at the X bar O, an' says he'll give a
thousand for him."

"So that's all you've got to go on, is it?" sneered Huntington.

"Yes," answered Larkin uneasily.

"An' you think he'll make good, do you?"

"If a man's word ain't good he don't stay in this country long, does
he?"

"That's right--he won't stay long!" replied Huntington, with a savage
laugh.

"You mean to say--" queried Larkin pointedly, leaning across the neck
of his pony, and looking keenly into Huntington's eyes.

"Nothing," answered Huntington, lifting his huge shoulders.

"That's sayin' a lot an' sayin' nothing," retorted Larkin.

"You'll know more when you try to collect that thousand."

"All right," responded Larkin, gathering up the reins as if to
terminate the interview. "Where's his place--if it ain't a secret?"

"It's over beyond that ridge," said Huntington, pointing toward the
west. "You go back about three miles the way you came, an' there's a
branch road--"

"Hell!" snorted the cowboy whose arm hung limp at his side.

The three men exchanged glances. They were very weary; they had used
almost the last of their powers to bring the outlaw this far; and they
were plainly reluctant to undertake another tussle with the tireless
animal, now ready, without doubt, to renew his struggle for liberty.

Huntington watched them narrowly.

"I'm all in!" grumbled Raley.

"You look it," said Huntington. Then he added lightly: "Still, you
ought to fetch up at Haig's place before morning."

Marion felt disgust and resentment rising in her at this misrepresentation
of the distance to Haig's ranch. Whatever Haig had done, this was
cowardly and unfair. She looked eagerly at the other men, expecting to
hear some one correct the gross exaggeration. But the faces were all
blank, and no one spoke.

Something like a groan escaped from the lips of the injured cowboy. He
looked as if he might tumble from the saddle at any instant.

"Sure we can!" said Larkin doggedly. "Come, men! Let's move on."

"Well, good lu