ad knew he was
followed by a solitary rider who was between him and the hounds of the
law.

Under the circumstances, the bandit would expect to be pursued by a
number, Rathburn reasoned. He was ordering his pursuit on this theory,
and he did not intend to take any more time than was absolutely
necessary in catching up with the man ahead.

Rathburn's horse had not been hard ridden the day preceding, nor for
several days before that. He had journeyed westward by easy stages,
taking his time, favoring his mount in anticipation of some unforeseen
emergency which might require hard riding. And he well knew the
extraordinary powers of speed and endurance which the animal
possessed.

He frowned as he thought of the brand. He had not been under the
impression that the iron his horse wore was generally known to the
authorities. He would have to hole-up somewhere in the hills before
long and attend to that brand. As it was, it was a dead give-away as
to his identity. He could thank Brown for this bit of information,
anyway.

With the dawn, Rathburn found it easier to keep on his man's trail
without being seen himself. He gained considerable until he estimated
that he was not more than a mile and a half, or two miles at most,
behind.

The sun was up when he reached the crest of the high ridge where was
the tall pine and the sign which he had first seen the afternoon
before.

He hesitated, debating whether to let the printed notice remain with
his penciled inscription about the Arizona reward on it, or to tear it
down. Then he saw the man he was pursuing below on the trail. He moved
swiftly out of sight down the eastern side of the ridge. But when he
came to the next vantage point he discovered that his man had
apparently seen him; for he was riding at a mad gallop on the trail
which wound eastward along the edge of the hills.

"Now's as good a time as any, hoss!" he cried to his mount as he drove
in his spurs and dashed in swift pursuit.

Down the winding trail plunged horse and rider. The dun slipped and
slid on the hard surface of the steep declivities and finally emerged
upon the more open path which the man ahead was following.

Rathburn no longer made any attempt at concealment. He was after the
man ahead, and, somewhere behind, a posse was in mad pursuit. If he
were captured before he could overtake the bandit who was responsible
for the robbery, the latter would very likely escape--was certain to
make his get-