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the dd Digger that he was； collected these herbs； only he
pretended it was for science。 I reckoned the book was his and
that he mightn't be far away。 I lay low and waited。 Bimeby I
saw a lizard running down the root。 When he got sight of me he
stopped。〃
〃Dn the lizard！ What's that got to do with where she is now？〃
〃Everything。 That lizard had a piece of sugar in his mouth。
Where did it come from？ I made him drop it； and calculated he'd
go back for more。 He did。 He scooted up that tree and slipped
in under some hanging strips of bark。 I shoved 'em aside； and
found an opening to the hollow where they do their housekeeping。〃
〃But you didn't see her thereand how do you know she is there
now？〃
〃I determined to make it sure。 When she left to…day； I started
an hour ahead of her； and hid myself at the edge of the woods。
An hour after the coach arrived at Indian Spring； she came there
in a brown duster and was joined by him。 I'd have followed them；
but the dd hound has the ears of a squirrel； and though I was
five hundred yards from him he was on his guard。〃
〃Guard be blessed！ Wasn't you armed？ Why didn't you go for
him？〃 said Dunn； furiously。
〃I reckoned I'd leave that for you；〃 said Brace coolly。 〃If he'd
killed me； and if he'd even covered me with his rifle； he'd been
sure to let daylight through me at double the distance。 I
shouldn't have been any better off； nor you either。 If I'd
killed HIM； it would have been your duty as sheriff to put me in
jail； and I reckon it wouldn't have broken your heart； Jim Dunn；
to have got rid of TWO rivals instead of one。 Hullo！ Where are
you going？〃
〃Going？〃 said Dunn hoarsely。 〃Going to the Carquinez Woods； by
God！ to kill him before her。 I'LL risk it； if you daren't。 Let
me succeed； and you can hang ME and take the girl yourself。〃
〃Sit down； sit down。 Don't be a fool； Jim Dunn！ You wouldn't
keep the saddle a hundred yards。 Did I say I wouldn't help you？
No。 If you're willing； we'll run the risk together； but it must
be in my way。 Hear me。 I'll drive you down there in a buggy
before daylight； and we'll surprise them in the cabin or as they
leave the wood。 But you must come as if to arrest him for some
offensesay； as an escaped Digger from the Reservation； a
dangerous tramp； a destroyer of public property in the forests； a
suspected road agent； or anything to give you the right to hunt
him。 The exposure of him and Nellie； don't you see； must be
accidental。 If he resists； kill him on the spot； and nobody'll
blame you； if he goes peaceably with you； and you once get him in
Excelsior jail； when the story gets out that he's taken the belle
of Excelsior for his squaw； if you'd the angels for your posse
you couldn't keep the boys from hanging him to the first tree。
What's that？〃
He walked to the window； and looked out cautiously。
〃If it was the old man coming back and listening；〃 he said； after
a pause； 〃it can't he helped。 He'll hear it soon enough； if he
don't suspect something already。〃
〃Look yer； Brace；〃 broke in Dunn hoarsely。 〃Dd if I understand
you or you me。 That dog Low has got to answer to ME； not to the
LAW！ I'll take my risk of killing him； on sight and on the
square。 I don't reckon to handicap myself with a warrant； and I
am not going to draw him out with a lie。 You hear me？ That's me
all the time！〃
〃Then you calkilate to go down thar；〃 said Brace contemptuously；
〃yell out for him and Nellie； and let him line you on a rest from
the first tree as if you were a grizzly。〃
There was a pause。 〃What's that you were saying just now about a
bearskin he sold？〃 asked Dunn slowly； as if reflecting。
〃He exchanged a bearskin；〃 replied Brace； 〃with a single hole
right over the heart。 He's a dead shot； I tell you。〃
〃Dn his shooting；〃 said Dunn。 〃I'm not thinking of that。 How
long ago did he bring in that bearskin？〃
〃About two weeks； I reckon。 Why？〃
〃Nothing！ Look yer； Brace； you mean wellthar's my hand。 I'll
go down with you there； but not as the sheriff。 I'm going there
as Jim Dunn； and you can come along as a white man； to see things
fixed on the square。 Come！〃
Brace hesitated。 〃You'll think better of my plan before you get
there； but I've said I'd stand by you； and I will。 Come； then。
There's no time to lose。〃
They passed out into the darkness together。
〃What are you waiting for？〃 said Dunn impatiently； as Brace； who
was supporting him by the arm； suddenly halted at the corner of
the house。
〃Some one was listeningdid you not see him？ Was it the old
man？〃 asked Brace hurriedly。
〃Blast the old man！ It was only one of them Mexican packers
chock…full of whisky； and trying to hold up the house。 What are
you thinking of？ We shall be late。〃
In spite of his weakness； the wounded man hurriedly urged Brace
forward； until they reached the latter's lodgings 。 To his
surprise； the horse and buggy were already before the door。
〃Then you reckoned to go； any way？〃 said Dunn； with a searching
look at his companion。
〃I calkilated SOMEBODY would go；〃 returned Brace； evasively；
patting the impatient Buckskin； 〃but come in and take a drink
before we leave。〃
Dunn started out of a momentary abstraction； put his hand on his
hip； and mechanically entered the house。 They had scarcely
raised the glasses to their lips when a sudden rattle of wheels
was heard in the street。 Brace set down his glass and ran to the
window。
〃It's the mare bolted；〃 he said； with an oath。 〃We've kept her
too long standing。 Follow me；〃 and he dashed down the staircase
into the street。 Dunn followed with difficulty； when he reached
the door he was already confronted by his breathless companion。
〃She's gone off on a run； and I'll swear there was a man in the
buggy！〃 He stopped and examined the halter…strap； still fastened
to the fence。 〃Cut！ by God！〃
Dunn turned pale with passion。 〃Who's got another horse and
buggy？〃 he demanded。
〃The new blacksmith in Main Street； but we won't get it by
borrowing；〃 said Brace。
〃How then？〃 asked Dunn savagely。
〃Seize it； as the sheriff of Yuba and his deputy； pursuing a
confederate of the Injin LowTHE HORSE THIEF！〃
CHAPTER VIII
The brief hour of darkness that preceded the dawn was that night
intensified by a dense smoke； which； after blotting out horizon
and sky； dropped a thick veil on the high road and the silent
streets of Indian Spring。 As the buggy containing Sheriff Dunn
and Brace dashed through the obscurity； Brace suddenly turned to
his companion。
〃Some one ahead！〃
The two men bent forward over the dashboard。 Above the steady
plunging of their own horse…hoofs they could hear the quicker
irregular beat of other hoofs in the darkness before them。
〃It's that horse thief！〃 said Dunn； in a savage whisper。 〃Bear
to the right； and hand me the whip。〃
A dozen cuts of the cruel lash； and their maddened horse；
bounding at each stroke； broke into a wild canter。 The frail
vehicle swayed from side to side at each spring of the elastic
shafts。 Steadying himself by one hand on the low rail； Dunn drew
his revolver with the other。 〃Sing out to him to pull up； or
we'l