by the old man in his description of them; and after
a short delay four men were sent away to each of the entrances, on a
run, with instructions to remain on guard before them until they should
be relieved.

"Now," said Nick, when they had gone, "we know that the prisoner can't
escape. We know it's only a matter of time when he'll be
caught--therefore, we needn't hurry. Don't you agree with me, Handsome?
He can't get out of the cave at any of the entrances, without being
captured or shot down, an', o' course, he can't come back this way
without meetin' with the same fate. Ain't that right?"

"I guess it is," agreed Handsome.

"Ain't that right, Miss Madge?" asked Nick again, turning to her.

"It sounds entirely reasonable," she replied. "There has been only one
mistake made from the start of this affair, and that is that Pat was not
shot down when he first showed himself here. As it stands now, he has
temporarily made his escape. I am satisfied, now, that he is a spy, and
I commission each one of you to shoot him down without mercy, on sight.
I shall go with you into the cave to search."

"Do you wish me to direct the search?" asked Nick, still standing
quietly before her.

"Yes. What have you to suggest?"

"This: There be four entrances outside o' the one here in this little
valley. I should divide the men into four parts. I kin direct each party
so that it won't have no difficulty in followin' the cavern and
searching it thoroughly to the entrance. I'll take one o' the parties.
How many men are there here now?"

"Let me see," replied Madge. "Sixteen have gone away to guard the
entrances, and four will have to remain here on guard. That takes away
twenty. We still have eighty left."

"Good. That'll give us twenty in each party. Now, madam, it's for you to
say who'll lead them. Tell me who the leaders will be, and I'll instruct
'em at once."

She picked out four of the men, and ordered them to step forward; and,
one by one, Nick directed each of them how to proceed after he had
passed the entrance of the cavern with the men who were to follow him;
and he made the directions so explicit that there was not one who had
any doubt about being able to follow them.

It was as Nick had suspected it would be; that Madge did not yet trust
him far enough to give him the sole leadership of one of the parties,
but she directed that Handsome should go with him--and at the last
moment, when they were ready to start, and