ought Buck would throw the blame on
Jack, caught her by the arm.

"Stop!" he commanded.

"Bud Lane!" exclaimed Echo, "you have heard--"

"I've heard--my brother--he is alive!"

Bud spoke rapidly. His belief was confirmed. He would have full
revenge for what his brother had suffered at Payson's hands.

To Echo's plea of "Don't stop me!" he shouted: "No!" and caught the
young wife, and pulled her back from the doorway. Echo struggled to
free herself, but the young man was too strong.

"He had ruined Dick's life, stolen from him the woman he loved," he
hissed in her ear.

"Jack! Jack!" was her only answer.

"No, he sha'n't come back--let him go as he let my brother go, out of
your life forever."

"I can't--I can't. I love him!"

Throwing Bud off, she ran to the door. Bud pulled his revolver, and
cried: "If he enters that door I'll kill him."

Outside Echo heard Jack inquiring: "Echo! Echo! you called me?"

Echo laid her hand on the knob to open the door, when she heard the
click of the pistol's hammer as Bud raised it.

With a prayer in her eyes, she looked at the young man. He was
obdurate. Nothing could move him.

Turning, she shrieked: "No, I did not call. Go! in God's name, go!"

"Good-bye!" was Jack's farewell. The rapid beat of horse's hoofs told
of his mounting and riding away.

"Gone. Oh, Bud, Bud, what have you done?"

"I should have killed him," was Bud's answer, a gazed after the
retreating form galloping down trail.

Mrs. Allen, hearing Echo's calls, hastened in from the kitchen. She
found her daughter sobbing at the table. "What is the matter, child?"

Then, turning to Bud, she fiercely demanded of him: "What have you
been saying to her?"

"Nothin'," he replied, as he left the house.

"Oh, mother, mother!" wailed Echo. "Jack--I have sent him away."

"Sent him away," repeated the startled Mrs. Allen.

"Yes," assured Echo.

"You don't mean to say he is guilty--you don't mean--"

"No, no!" interrupted Echo. "Oh, I never thought of that--he must come
back--call Dad, call Slim."

Echo had forgotten Jack's promise to Slim. He, too, in his period of
stress had overlooked the fact that he was a suspected murderer. Now
he had fled. He must be brought back to clear his good name.

Mrs. Allen called her husband and the Sheriff into the room.

"What's the row?" shouted the Sheriff.

"Jack's gone," cried Mrs. Allen.

In amazement the two men could only repeat the