one, and if the hunters were close
behind, there was little enough chance of escape for him. The man's
eyes were alight and staring with the suspicious look of the hunted.
His young mouth was set desperately, and the watching man read in his
face a determination to sell his life at the highest price he could
demand. And somehow, in spite of all that had gone, he felt a great
pity for him.

Then, in a moment, his pity fled. It was the color of the man's shirt
that first caught his attention. It was identical with his own. From
this he examined the rest of his clothing. Will Henderson was clad as
much like himself as possible. And the meaning of it was quite plain
to him.

The horseman came up. He flung himself back in the saddle and reined
his horse up with a jerk.

"What's your game?" he demanded fiercely, still gripping the
threatening revolver, as Jim dropped his hands.

"I came to warn you--but my horse foundered. See."

Jim pointed at the dejected beast. "I came because she asked me to
come," he added.

Will glanced back up the hill. It needed little enough imagination to
guess what he was looking for.

"Well, the game's up, and--I'm hunted. They're about three miles
behind--all except one." He laughed harshly. Then he caught Jim's
eyes. "You came because she sent you? That means you're goin' to help
me, I guess, but only--because she sent you. Are you goin' to?" He
edged his gun forward so that the other could not miss seeing it.

But Jim had no fear. He was thinking with all the power of his brain.
Time was everything. He doubted they had more than five minutes. He
knew this patch of country by heart, which was one of the reasons he
had taken the northern trail. Now his knowledge served him.

He answered instantly, utterly ignoring the threatening gun.

"Yes. Now get this quickly. Your only chance is to drop down into that
river. It's shallow, though swift--about two feet to possibly two and
a half. Ride down stream for two miles. It winds tremendously, so the
others won't see you. You'll come to a thick patch of woods on either
bank. Take the left bank, and make through the woods, north. Then keep
right on to some foot-hills about ten miles due north. Once there you
can dodge 'em, sure. Anyway it's up to you. Leave 'em to me, when
they come up. I'll do my best to put 'em off."

Jim's voice was cold enough, but he spoke rapidly. Will, who had
turned again to scan the sky-line, now looked down at him