fer if you do and this other gal puts that thing
on you, you'll never--" What penalty she was going to inflict, I don't
know, for the Knight of the Cumberland, half kneeling, sprang suddenly
to his feet and interrupted her. "Wait a minute, will ye?" he said
almost fiercely, and at the sound of his voice Mollie rose to her feet
and her face blanched.

"Lord God!" she said almost in anguish, and then she dropped quickly to
her seat again.

The Knight of the Cumberland had gone back to his horse as though to get
something from his saddle. Like lightning he vaulted into the saddle,
and as the black horse sprang toward the opening tore his mask from his
face, turned in his stirrups, and brandished his spear with a yell of
defiance, while a dozen voices shouted:

"The Wild Dog!" Then was there an uproar.

"Goddle mighty!" shouted the Hon. Sam. "I didn't do it, I swear I didn't
know it. He's tricked me--he's tricked me! Don't shoot--you might hit
that hoss!"

There was no doubt about the Hon. Sam's innocence. Instead of turning
over an outlaw to the police, he had brought him into the inner shrine
of law and order and he knew what a political asset for his enemies that
insult would be. And there was no doubt of the innocence of Mollie and
Buck as they stood, Mollie wringing her hands and Buck with open mouth
and startled face. There was no doubt about the innocence of anybody
other than Dave Branham and the dare-devil Knight of the Cumberland.

Marston had clutched at the Wild Dog's bridle and missed and the outlaw
struck savagely at him with his spear. Nobody dared to shoot because of
the scattering crowd, but every knight and every mounted policeman took
out after the outlaw and the beating of hoofs pounded over the little
mound and toward Poplar Hill. Marston ran to his horse at the upper end,
threw his saddle on, and hesitated--there were enough after the Wild
Dog and his horse was blown. He listened to the yells and sounds of the
chase encircling Poplar Hill. The outlaw was making for Lee. All at once
the yells and hoof-beats seemed to sound nearer and Marston listened,
astonished. The Wild Dog had wheeled and was coming back; he was going
to make for the Gap, where sure safety lay. Marston buckled his girth
and as he sprang on his horse, unconsciously taking his spear with
him, the Wild Dog dashed from the trees at the far end of the field. As
Marston started the Wild Dog saw him, pulled something that flashed from