"Me? ... Aw!--Couple of times. I reckon. Bought her drinks. She
won't look at me unless she's drunk," replied Blink, both confused and
gloomy.

"You've got Louise figured wrong, cowboy," returned Pan. "I'll prove
it to you sometime.... Now let's get down to business, and plan
Blake's release from jail. I want to lead the horse round about, so I
won't be seen by anybody."

"Shore, thet'll be easy," replied Blinky. "I'll go with you. We can
keep to the slope a ways an' then go down an' come up on the other side
of town. No roads an' no houses."

They returned to camp, and replenishing the fire sat around it talking
of the wild-horse drive.

About ten o'clock Blinky went to the corral, saddled a horse, and led
him back to the tent. There they put on the blanket and saddlebags.
Blinky produced a gun he could spare, and then thoughtfully added a
small bag of grain for the horse.

"It's darker'n the milltail of Hades," announced Blinky, "an' thet's
good fer this kind of work. I'll go ahaid, pickin' out the way, an'
you lead the hoss."

So they set out into the black night, working along the base of the
slope. No stars showed, and the raw wind hinted of rain or snow. The
lights of the town shone dimly. Keen on the breeze floated the
discordant music and revelry, from the Yellow Mine and other like
dives, in full blast.

Descending the slope required careful slow work. The incline was
steep, of soft earth and loose shale. But Blinky knew where to feel
his way, and eventually they reached the flat, to find easier progress.
Blinky made a detour, and finally, as they gradually approached several
lamplights, far apart, he whispered: "You wait heah. I ain't so darn
shore which one of them lights comes from the jail."

Pan waited what seemed a long while. At last he heard steps, then made
out an object blacker than the black background.

"Found the jail easy, but got off comin' back. Pronto now. Must be
near eleven."

Pan kept the dark silent moving form in sight. The dim light grew
larger. Then the low flat building loomed up faintly in the dense
gloom.

"Go ahead," whispered Blinky. "I'll hold the hoss."

Pan went swiftly up to the wall, and thence along it to the corner.
The light came from an open door. He listened. There was no sound.
Luckily Hurd was alone. Pan slipped round the corner and entered.
Hurd sat at the table in the flare of a lamp, turned down low.

"Ha! Was waitin' f