ibbous moon swung higher and higher. The heavens were full of stars,
and every star seemed to be an eye that was watching to witness the
consummation of the tragedy down there in that little valley, through
which Lost Creek flowed on to its unknown destination.

How still it was!

The silence was broken by a sound that made every black-hooded man start
and listen.

Sweet and mellow and musical, from afar through the peaceful night, came
the clear notes of a bugle.

Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra-tar! Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra-tar!

A fierce exclamation broke from the lips of the leader of the Black
Caps, and he grated:

"Muriel, by ther livin' gods! He's comin' hyar! Quick, boys--finish this
job, an' git!"

"Stop, Wade Miller!" cried Frank, commandingly. "If that is Muriel, wait
for him--let him pronounce our fate. He is the chief of you all, and he
shall say if we are revenue spies."

"Bah! You-uns know too much, fer ye've called my name! That settles ye!
Ye must hang anyway, now!"

Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra-tar!

From much nearer, came the sound of the bugle, awakening hundreds of
mellow echoes, which were flung from crag to crag till it seemed that
the mountains were alive with buglers.

The clatter of a horse's iron-shod feet could be heard, telling that the
rider was coming like the wind down the valley.

"Cut free ther feet o' ther pris'ners!" panted the leader of the Black
Caps. "Work quick! Muriel will be here in a few shakes, an' we-uns must
be done. All ready thar! Up with 'em!"

The fatal moment had arrived!

CHAPTER XLII.

MURIEL.

Ta-ra-tar! Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra-tar!

Through the misty moonlight a coal-black horse, bearing a rider who once
more awakens the clamoring echoes with his bugle, comes tearing at a mad
gallop.

"Up with 'em!" repeats Wade Miller, fiercely, as the black-hooded men
seem to hesitate.

The ropes tighten.

"Stop!"

One of the men utters the command, and his companions hesitate.

"Muriel is death on revernues," says the one who had spoken, "an' thar
ain't any reason why we-uns shouldn't wait fer him."

"That's so."

More than half the men agree with the one who has interrupted the
execution, filling Wade Miller with unutterable rage.

"Fools!" snarled the chief ruffian of the party. "I am leadin' you-uns
now, an' ye've gotter do ez I say. I order ye ter string them critters
up!"

Nearer and nearer came the clattering hoof-beats.

"Av we can have wan minute more!" breathed