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 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