bery, he changes his mind, and stays with plenty of money to
carry him through. And now, here we are to-night, with that same
old Bald Knobber gang, what's left of them, called together in the
same old way by Jim himself, to meet in his cabin. Take my word
for it, we'll bag the whole outfit, with the rest of the swag
before morning. It's as sure as fate. I'm glad that girl is away
from home, though."

Sammy had heard enough. As the full meaning of the officers' words
came to her, she felt herself swaying dizzily in the saddle and
clung blindly to the pony's mane for support. Then something in
her brain kept beating out the words, "Ride, Ride, Ride."

Never for an instant did Sammy doubt her father. It was all some
horrible mistake. Her Daddy Jim would explain it all. Of course he
would, if--if she could only get home first. But the men were
between her and the path that led to the road.

Then all at once she remembered that Young Matt had told her how
Sake Creek hollow headed in the pinery below the ridge along which
they went from Fall Creek to the Forks. It might be that this
bench at the foot of the ledge would lead to a way out.

As quick as thought the girl slipped to the ground, and taking
Brownie by the head began feeling her way along the narrow shelf.
Dead leaves, tangled grass and ferns, all wet and sodden, made a
soft carpet, so that the men behind the rock heard no sound. Now
and then the lightning revealed a glimpse of the way for a short
distance, but mostly she trusted blindly to her pony's instinct.
Several times she stumbled over jagged fragments of rock that had
fallen from above, cutting her hand and bruising her limbs
cruelly. Once, she was saved from falling over the cliff by the
little horse's refusal to move. A moment she stood still in the
darkness; then the lightning showed a way past the dangerous
point.

After a time that seemed hours, she noticed that the ledge had
become no higher than her head, and that a little farther on the
bench was lost in the general slope of the hill. She had reached
the head of the hollow. A short climb up the side of the mountain,
and, pushing through the wet bushes, she found herself in the
road. She had saved about three miles. It was still nearly five to
her home. An instant later the girl was in her saddle, and the
brown pony was running his best.

Sammy always looked back upon that ride in the darkness, and,
indeed, upon all that happened that night,