, with, apparently, no entrance or exit,
except the way they were now approaching it. It had appeared to Elia
to be surrounded by towering hills, densely clad in forests of spruce
and pine. He had described the corral as being on the left front from
the entrance, and that a hut, backing into the flanking woods,
occupied the distance on the right.

The doctor's disposition, in consequence, was simple. The whole party
were to race at a gallop into the hollow. The eight leaders were to
ride straight for the hut, no matter what fire might be opposed to
them. The six men immediately in their rear were to open out and ride
for the encompassing fringe of woods, lest any of the rustlers should
make for escape that way. While the rest of the party were to ride for
the corral, and round up everything that looked like a saddle horse;
this last with a view to preventing any chances of ultimate escape.

These matters settled they continued their journey without loss of
time. For every man of them was sternly eager to come to clinches with
their quarry. The excited interest was running high as they neared
their goal. Then all at once Smallbones suddenly threw the whole party
into confusion by flinging his horse abruptly upon its haunches, and
wildly pointing up the hillside on their immediate left.

"Gee!" he cried, furiously. "Look at that. There! There! There he
goes!"

But there was no need for his added explanation. Two hundred yards
away to their left a horseman was racing headlong in a parallel
direction. It needed no imagination to tell them that he was a scout
carrying the alarm to his comrades in the hollow beyond.

But his course was a different one to that which might have been
expected, for it showed no signs of converging with the track below,
and was significant of an unsuspected, possibly secret entrance to the
hiding-place.

But the doctor was a man for emergency. Four of the men carried
rifles, and these he warned to be ready to fire on the fugitive when
he gave the word.

Then he led his men at a race down the track.

* * * * *

It was an inspiring spot for the imaginative.

A little cup of perfect emerald green set within the darker border of
the soft pinewoods. Above, the brilliant sky poured down a dazzling
light through the funnel-like opening walled by an almost complete
circle of hills. But the circle was not quite complete. There were
three distinct, but