of mesquite, palo verde, and cactus. He raced for the
mountains in the northwest.

There was another element of uncertainty which entered into the
probability of quick pursuit, as he had shrewdly divined. It might be
some time before the sheriff's predicament was discovered. Meanwhile
most of the male population was scouring the vicinity of Imagination
Range looking for him, and there would be no one to lead a second
posse until the sheriff was liberated. There was nothing in sight
behind him toward town except the vista of dry desert vegetation
swimming in the heat. Rathburn rode on with a feeling of security, so
far as trouble from that quarter was concerned.

His thoughts were in a turmoil, and he passed a shaking hand over his
damp brow. The resentment had given way to grim decision and
determination. Well, he had shown them what The Coyote could do. They
would remember that job; they could lay that at his door. The proceeds
would carry him a long way. They had given him his reputation, and he
would make the game worth the candle!

The old fierce defiance of misguided youth was in his veins. He felt a
wild exultation seize him. Doubt and all problems were set aside. His
eyes glowed with a reckless light, as he raced on toward the blue
hills.

Doane had known him--had called him by name. Therefore Doane knew he
was The Coyote--the outlaw with a price on his head. So much the
better. He _wanted_ them to know!

The sun was at its zenith, as he passed above the Mallory place. He
did not once turn his head and look down upon it. His jaw was squared,
his lips pressed tight, as he guided his horse into the winding
foothills of the range. In a narrow canyon he dismounted and undid his
slicker pack. When he again tied it behind the saddle it contained the
bag which held the bank notes he had taken that morning. He pushed on
in the early afternoon.

He now rode with more caution. The fact that he had not seen any
members of the posses which were scouring the hills, he accredited to
ignorance on their part of the fact that he had been at the Mallory
ranch the night before and had gone into town. These things they had
hardly had time to learn. More than likely they had assumed that he
had crossed the mountains, and it was possible that most of the men on
the hunt were on the east side of the range. He became more and more
convinced of this as the afternoon wore on, but he did not relax his
vigilance. His face had cloude