h the other he thrust the cloth into her mouth till she was
effectually gagged. Then he secured it in place with a long binding of
braid. But the moment this was done, and he released her throat, she
began to struggle violently, and he was forced to exert all his
strength to crush her down into the chair. Here he knelt on her, while
he lashed her hands together, and then her feet. Then he tied the two
bindings together, so that her arms were locked immovable round her
knees. Now, at his leisure, he took the table cover and securely bound
her into the chair.

This accomplished, he stood up and surveyed his handiwork carefully.
He was breathing hard with his exertion. Yes, she was well secured,
and he smiled sardonically. He watched her thus for some moments. Then
he glanced round the darkened room. It was the haunted look of the man
engaged in crime.

Suddenly he stepped softly to her side, and, stooping, lifted the
cloth with which she was gagged from before the upper part of her
face. He looked into the hunted, terrified eyes and grinned. Then he
put his lips close to one of her ears.

"Now I'm going to the bluff out back to--kill your brother, your
beloved Elia. Then I'm coming back to--kill you," he whispered. And
the next moment he was gone.

CHAPTER XXIX

JIM

It was with no very cheerful feelings that Jim Thorpe approached
Barnriff once more. He had delayed his return as long as possible, not
from any fear for himself, but for the sake of giving color to his
final protestations to Doc Crombie, when they parted company at the
Little Bluff River.

After resting his horse in the river woods for a full twenty-four
hours--and, in that time, the tough beast had fully recovered from his
journey--he then, with simple strategy, hunted up Will's tracks where
the fugitive had left the river, and steadily trailed him to the
northern hills. There he gave up further pursuit, having fully
satisfied himself that the man's escape had been accomplished. So he
turned his horse's head toward Barnriff, and prepared himself to face
the trouble that he knew would be awaiting him.

It was a cheerless journey, harassed by thoughts and speculations that
could be hardly considered illuminating. Curiously enough he had no
thought of making a run for it to a district where he was still
unknown. Why should he? There was not a guilty thought in his mind,
unless it were the recollection of the trick he had played on the
lynch