anation that he was watching
Bethune. He asked me to marry him, and when, like the poor little fool
I was, I showed him the location, he was only too glad to get the mine
without being saddled with me."

If Vil Holland reached town first--well, she could teach school.
Scalding tears blinded her as with quirt and spur she crowded her
horse to his utmost. Only one slender hope remained. With Thompson's
fresh horse, Lightning, she might yet win the race. The chance was
slim, but she would take it! Her own horse was laboring heavily, a
solid lather of sweat, as his feet pounded the trail that wound white
and hot through the foothills. "It's your last hard ride," she sobbed
into his ear as she urged him on. "Win or lose, boy, it's your last
hard ride--and we've got to make it!"

She whirled into Thompson's lane and, in the dooryard, threw herself
from her horse almost into the arms of the big ranchman who stared at
her in surprise. "Must be somethin's busted loose in the hills, that
folks is all takin' to the open!" he exclaimed.

"Where's Lightning?" cried the girl. "Quick! I want him!"

"Lightnin'?" repeated Thompson. "Why, Lightnin's gone--Vil Holland
come along an hour or so ago, an' rode him on to town. Turned Buck
into the corral, yonder--he was rode down almost as bad as yourn."

Patty's brain reeled dizzily as from a blow. Lightning gone! Her one
slim chance of saving her mine had vanished in a breath. She felt
suddenly weak, and sick, and leaning against her saddle for support,
she closed her eyes and buried her face in her arm.

"What's the matter, Miss? Somethin' wrong?"

The girl laughed, a dry hard laugh, and raising her head, looked into
the man's face. "Oh, no!" she said. "Nothing's wrong--nothing except
that I've lost my father's claim--lost it because I relied on your
horse to carry me into town in time to file ahead of _him_."

"Lost yer pa's claim?" cried Thompson. "What do you mean--lost? Has
that devil dared to show his face after the horse raid?" He paused
suddenly and smiled. "Now don't you go worryin' about that there
claim. Vil Holland's on the job! I know'd there was somethin' in the
wind when he come a-larrupin' in here an' jerked his kak offen Buck
an' throw'd it on Lightnin' without hardly a word. Vil, he'll head
him! An' when he does, Bethune'll be lucky if he lives long enough to
git hung!"

"Bethune! Bethune!" cried the girl bitterly. "Bethune's got nothing to
do with it! It's Vil H