trength and endurance
left in their beasts they gained the shelter of the little patch of
timber.

"Here we'll wait," said Rathburn coolly as he dismounted.

"What?" cried the other, staring at him incredulously. "We ain't quite
surrounded yet. We haven't seen anybody in the south. That way may be
open an' it's liable to be closed while we're stayin' here."

"Get off your horse and unsaddle him," commanded Rathburn sternly.
"The best place to hide from a posse is in the middle of it!"

CHAPTER VIII

TWO QUEER MOVES

The captive complied with the order, looking at Rathburn in a peculiar
way--half disgusted, half contemptuous. Indeed, he turned his back on
the other, leaned against the slender trunk of a pine, and stared
steadily into the south. He appeared much worried.

The horses welcomed the chance to rest.

Rathburn walked slowly back and forth the width of the patch of
timber, vigilantly keeping watch. He paid no attention whatsoever to
the man leaning against the tree. For all the interest he displayed he
might have completely forgotten his very existence. In time this got
on the other's nerves.

"I believe you lied when you said there was a man killed down there
last night," he said coolly.

"I didn't say anybody was killed," Rathburn returned without looking
in his direction. "You assumed that part of it."

"Then you wanted me to think so," said the other in a loud voice. "You
was tryin' to throw a scare into me!"

Rathburn swung on his heel and stepped squarely in front of him. "I
let you think that to show you what _might_ have happened," he said.
"Such things have happened to me an' swelled the price on my head.
Now, darn you, if you talk that loud again I'll choke your wind off!"

The words came with sinister earnestness, but they seemed to rouse
some dormant strain of extraordinary courage in the man to whom they
were addressed.

He suddenly leaped from the tree and struck out with all the force at
his command.

But Rathburn had anticipated the attack. He knocked the other's blow
aside and drove his right straight to the jaw.

"There's a little souvenir to show you that I mean business, Percy,"
he panted.

Percy came back to the attack with eyes gleaming with malice. Again he
attempted to hit Rathburn, but the latter stepped aside with lightning
swiftness and drove home another blow. He followed it up with a left
and right and Percy sprawled his length on the grass.

After a