been hurriedly accomplished, and with the aid of a projecting
limb stub the knot that secured her wrists was loosened and she freed
her hands. It was but the work of a moment to loosen the hitch about her
ankles and she assayed to rise. She sank back with a moan of pain. Every
muscle in her body ached and she lay still while the blood with an
exquisite torture of prickling and tingling, began to circulate her
numbed veins. Again she struggled to her feet and, supporting herself
against a tree, stared wildly about her. Nobody was in sight. Through
the trees she caught the sparkle of water.

"The river!" she breathed. A wild idea flashed into her brain. If she
could find a boat she could elude the horseman who had made her a
prisoner. The numbness was gone from her limbs. She took a step and
another, steadying herself by means of the tree-trunks. Finding that she
could walk unaided she crossed an open space, paused and glanced out
over the flood with its rushing burden of drift. The thought terrified
her--of being out there alone in a boat. Then came the thought of her
unknown captor. Who was he? When would he return? And with the thought
the terror of the water sank into insignificance beside the terror of
the land. Reaching the edge of the bank she peered cautiously over.
There, just at the end of a clump of willows, a boat floated lazily at
the end of its painter. She could see the oars in their locks, and a
man's coat upon the back seat. She was about to descend the bank when
the sound of voices sent her crouching behind a bush. Through the
willows she could make out the forms of two men. Even as she looked one
of the men rose and made his way toward the boat. At the edge of the
willows he turned to speak to the other and the terrified girl gazed
into the face of Long Bill Kearney! The other she could not see, but
that he was her captor she had no doubt. She felt suddenly weak and sick
with horror. Whoever the other was he was a confederate of Long Bill's
and she knew how Long Bill must hate her on account of the treatment he
had received a year ago at the hands of Win and the Texan. In all
probability they had even now murdered the Texan--come upon him weak and
exhausted from his struggle with the river and murdered him in cold
blood and taken her prisoner.

Stifling a sob, she turned to fly. Her trembling knees would scarce
support her weight as she crossed the open space. Once in the timber she
staggered toward t