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flight。 The latter was such a forlorn hope that he gave up Buck for the
moment； and ran back to the place where his repeating Winchester had
fallen。 Without stopping he scooped the rifle up as he passed。 In his day he
had been a famous sprinter； and he scudded now for dear life。 It was no
longer a question of secrecy。 The sound of men breaking their hurried way
through the heavy brush of the creek bank came crisply to him。 A voice
behind shouted a warning； and from not a hundred yards in front of him
came an answering shout。 Hemmed in from the fore and the rear； he
swung off at a right angle。 An open stretch lay before him； but he had to
take his desperate chance without cover。 Anything was better than to be
trapped like a wild beast driven by the beaters to the guns。
Across the bare； brown mesa he plunged； and before he had taken a
dozen steps the first rifle had located its prey and was sniping at him。 He
had perhaps a hundred yards to cover ere the mesa fell away into a hollow；
where he might find temporary protection in the scrub pines。 And now a
second marksman joined himself to the first。 But he was going fast；
already had covered half the distance； and it is no easy thing to bring down
a live； dodging target。
Again the first gun spoke； and scored another miss； whereat a mocking；
devilish laugh rang out in the sunshine。
〃Y'u boys splash a heap of useless lead around the horizon。 I reckon
Cousin Ned's my meat。 Y'u see； I get him in the flapper without spoiling
him complete。〃 And at the word he flung the rifle to his shoulder and fired
with no apparent aim。
The running man doubled up like a cottontail； but found his feet again
in an instant； though one arm hung limp by his side。 He was within a
dozen feet of the hilldrop and momentary safety。
〃Shall I take him； Cap？〃 cried one of the men。
〃No； he's mine。〃 The rifle smoked once more and again the runner
went down。 But this time he plunged headlong down the slope and out of
sight。
The outlaw chief turned on his heel。 〃I reckon he'll not run any more
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to…day。 Bring him into camp and we'll take him along with us；〃 he said
carelessly； and walked away to his horse in the creek bed。
Two of the men started forward； but they stopped half way； as if rooted
to the ground。 For a galloping horseman suddenly drew up at the very
point for which they were starting。 He leaped to the ground and warned
them back with his rifle。 While he covered them a second man rode up and
lifted Bannister to his saddle。
〃Ready； Mac；〃 he gave the word； and both horses disappeared with
their riders over the brow of the hill。 When the surprised desperadoes
recovered themselves and reached that point the rescuers had disappeared
in the heavy brush。
The alarm was at once given； and their captain； cursing them in a
raucous bellow for their blunder； ordered immediate pursuit。 It was some
little time before the trail of the fugitives was picked up； but once
discovered they were over hauled rapidly。
〃We're not going to get out without swapping lead；〃 McWilliams
admitted anxiously。 〃I wisht y'u wasn't hampered with that load； but I
reckon I'll have to try to stand them off alone。〃
〃We bucked into a slice of luck when I opened on his bronc
mavericking around alone。 Hadn't been for that we could never have made
it；〃 said Missou； who never crossed a bridge until he came to it。
〃We haven't made it yet； old hoss； not by a long mile； and two more on
top o' that。 They're beginning to pump lead already。 Huh！ Got to drap your
pills closer'n that 'fore y'u worry me。〃
〃I believe he's daid； anyway；〃 said Missou presently； peering down
into the white face of the unconscious man。
〃Got to hang onto the remains； anyhow； for Miss Helen。 Those coyotes
are too much of the wolf breed to leave him with them。〃
〃Looks like they're gittin' the aim some better；〃 equably remarked the
other a minute later； when a spurt of sand flew up in front of him。
〃They're ce'tainly crowding us。 I expaict I better send them a 'How…de…
do？' so as to discourage them a few。〃 He took as careful aim as he could
on the galloping horse； but his bullet went wide。
〃They're gaining like sixty。 It's my offhand opinion we better stop at
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that bunch of trees and argue some with them。 No use buck…jumpin' along
to burn the wind while they drill streaks of light through us。〃
〃All right。 Take the trees。 Y'u'll be able to get into the game some
then。〃
They debouched from the road to the little grove and slipped from
their horses。
〃Deader'n hell；〃 murmured Missou； as he lifted the limp body from his
horse。 〃 But I guess we'll pack what's left back to the little lady at the Lazy
D。〃
The leader of the pursuers halted his men just out of range and came
forward alone； holding his right hand up in the usual signal of peace。 In
appearance he was not unlike Ned Bannister。 There was the same long；
slim； tiger build； with the flowing muscles rippling easily beneath the
loose shirt； the same effect of power and dominance； the same clean；
springy stride。 The pose of the head； too； even the sweep of salient jaw；
bore a marked resemblance。 But similarity ceased at the expression。 For
instead of frankness there lurked here that hint of the devil of strong
passion uncontrolled。 He was the victim of his own moods； and in the
space of an hour one might； perhaps； read in that face cold cunning； cruel
malignity； leering ribaldry； as well as the hard…bitten virtues of unflinching
courage and implacable purpose。
〃I reckon you're near enough；〃 suggested Mac； when the man had
approached to within a hundred feet of the tree clump。
〃Y'u're drawing the dead…line；〃 the other acknowledged； indolently。 〃It
won't take ten words to tell y'u what I want and mean to have。 I'm giving
y'u two minutes to hand me over the body of Ned Bannister。 If y'u don't
see it that way I'll come and make a lead mine of your whole outfit。〃
〃Y'u can't come too quick； seh。 We're here a…shootin'；