icked up a saddle than Joe came in. They looked each
other over without speaking. Joe made for another saddle.

"You're free to go where you want," said Jack grimly. "I've only got
to say I choose to ride alone."

"I don't care how you ride," retorted Joe. "Keep out of my business,
that's all."

They saddled their horses in silence.

Joe said at last with a sneer: "Thought you told us to sit down and
shut up."

Jack's face flamed suddenly.

"I promised him a beating if he interfered and, by God, I mean to give
it to him before her eyes. That's what she's got to take if she picks
a cook!"

He fixed Joe with blazing eyes. "And if any man comes between me and
my promise, I'll take him first! As for the girl, she can go her way.
I wouldn't take her for a gift!"

Joe laughed unpleasantly.

As Jack started to lead his horse out of the stable, he saw what he
had not before noticed--several guns leaning in a corner of the
stable. His eyes lighted up.

"Where did they come from?" he demanded, choosing his own.

"Shand found them under the sods of the stable roof," said Joe.

"Where is Shand?"

"He has already taken a horse and gone."

* * * * *

Sam was awakened by being violently rolled over on the sand. He felt
human hands upon him, but he could not see his enemy. He struggled
with a will, but his limbs were confined by the blanket. A heavy body
knelt upon his back, and fetters were pulled around him, binding his
arms and his legs inside the blanket.

It was then that he shouted lustily. It was cut short by a cotton gag
in his mouth. He was ignominiously rolled down the sand to the water's
edge. What with the darkness and the confusion of his faculties still,
he could not see who had attacked him.

Inert as a log, he was lifted up, dragged away, and finally dropped in
a boat. His captor stood away from him, panting. Sam rolled over on
his back and saw--Bela.

For a moment he was paralyzed by astonishment--a woman to dare so!
Without looking at him she quickly took her place in the stern and
pushed off. Suffocating rage quickly succeeded his first blankness.
Unable to move or to utter a sound, his heart nearly broke with it.

The black traitress! After all her professions of friendliness! After
making her eyes so soft and her voice so sweet! She was worse than his
ugliest suspicions had painted! He did not stop to guess why he had
been attacked. She was his enemy. That wa