another man's pockets before, major, but I reckon I'll have to take your
derringers from yours." He slipped his hand into the major's waistcoat
and secured the weapons. "I'll have to trouble you for your sash, too,"
he said, unwinding the knitted silken girdle from the captive's waist.
"You won't want it, for you ain't walking, and it'll come in handy to me
just now."

He bent over, and, passing it across the major's breast with more
gentleness and solicitude than he had yet shown, secured him in an easy
sitting posture against the tree. Then, after carefully trying the knots
and straps that held his prisoner, he turned and lightly bounded up the
hill.

He was absent scarcely ten minutes, yet when he returned the major's
eyes were half closed. But not his lips. "If you expect to hold me until
your posse comes you had better take me to some less exposed position,"
he said dryly. "There's a man just crossed the gully, coming into the
brush below in the wood."

"None of your tricks, major!"

"Look for yourself."

The sheriff glanced quickly below him. A man with an axe on his shoulder
could be seen plainly making his way through the underbrush not a
hundred yards away. The sheriff instantly clapped his hand upon his
captive's mouth, but at a look from his eyes took it away again.

"I see," he said grimly, "you don't want to lure that man within reach
of my revolver by calling to him."