h of lightning had revealed Dunlavey and his men, Hollis
had attempted to escape, knowing that Dunlavey's intentions could not be
peaceable, and that he would have no chance in a fight with several men.
He had urged his pony toward the two buttes that he had seen during the
lightning flash, making a circuit in order to evade his enemies. He
might have succeeded, but unfortunately the darkness had lifted and they
had been able to intercept him. He could give no clear account of what
had happened after they had surrounded him. There had been no words
spoken. He had tried to break out of the circle; had almost succeeded
when a loop settled over his shoulders and he was dragged from his
pony--dragged quite a distance.

The fall had hurt him, but when the rope had slackened he had regained
his feet--to see that all the men had surrounded him. One man struck at
him and he had immediately struck back, knocking the man down. After
that the blows came thick and fast. He hit several more faces that were
close to him and at one time was certain he had put three of his
assailants out of the fight. But the others had crowded him close. He
fought them as well as he could with the great odds against him, and
once was inspired with a hope that he might escape. Then had come a
heavy blow on the head--he thought that one of the men had used the butt
of a revolver. He could dimly remember receiving a number of other blows
and then he knew nothing more until he had awakened in the Hazelton
cabin.

Hollis's opinion of Dunlavey's motive in thus attacking him coincided
with Norton's. They might easily have killed him. That they did not
showed that they must have some peculiar motive. Aside from a perfectly
natural desire on Dunlavey's part to deal to Hollis the same sort of
punishment that Hollis had inflicted on Dunlavey on the occasion of
their first meeting, the latter could have no motive other than that of
preventing the appearance of the _Kicker_ on its regular
publication day.

Hollis was convinced that Dunlavey had been inspired by both motives.
But though Dunlavey had secured his revenge for the blow that Hollis had
struck him in Dry Bottom, Hollis did not purpose to allow him to prevent
the appearance of the _Kicker_. It had been impossible for him to
make the trip to Dry Bottom, but he had summoned Potter and had dictated
considerable copy, Potter had written some, and in this manner they had
managed to get the _Kicker_ out twic