"I'll never take my hands off you till you give up that ring, you
scoundrel!"

The man having encountered Frank before, well knew that the boy
possessed remarkable strength, which would not make it an easy thing to
shake him off.

"Let go!" he hissed.

"I will not!"

"Then take that!"

Something bright and gleaming, like the blade of a knife, flashed in
the man's hand. He struck, and with a cry, Frank, fell heavily to the
platform!

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE SECRET OF THE RING.

Astonished and horrified though he was, Bart Hodge realized that Frank
had been stabbed. At that moment, with the lack of resolution that was
characteristic of him on occasions of peril, and not through fear, he
stood quite still and did nothing.

Without a shout or a sound, the man in black leaped toward the end of
the station, where a saddled and bridled horse was hitched to a post.

One slash of the knife set the horse free, and the desperate man leaped
to the creature's back, riding rapidly away.

Frank had swiftly risen to his feet, and several persons, who had
witnessed the blow, crowded anxiously around him, asking how badly he
was hurt.

"It's nothing but a scratch in the shoulder, for I saw it coming, and
dodged. Don't mind me. Don't let that man get away!"

"He won't get very fur on that hoss," said the owner of the animal.
"She's lame in her off hind foot, an' she'll tarnal soon give out if he
pushes her like that."

"Still he will get away if he is not immediately pursued. Come--who'll
follow?"

"Into this carriage, boy!" cried a man. "I have a little horse here
that will give him a hot chase. Come on!"

"I am the constable," said another man, with great dignity. "I'll
foller as soon as I can get a boss saddled."

Realizing that the boy was not seriously hurt, half of those who had
been lingering about the station made a rush to join in the pursuit of
the murderous stranger. All kinds of teams were pressed into use, and
the road was soon filled with a string of pursuers.

Looking back anxiously, the man in black saw them coming, and he grated
his teeth fiercely, for he had already discovered that the horse he had
appropriated was seriously lamed.

"Let 'em come!" he cried. "I'll not be taken easily! I have the key
to a fortune in my pocket, and I will escape with it, if it is in me to
do so!"

Ruthlessly and cruelly he pricked the lame mare with the keen point of
the knife, which he still he