whiskey they would
be capable of anything, even of forgetting for the moment of Garman's
dominance of them.

Roger swore helplessly, and sought relief from his torturing thoughts
in physical labor. The direct rays of the subtropical sun had dried
and heated the surface of the soft muck land until it radiated heat
like a stone pavement. With the butt of his rifle Roger dug deeply
beneath the surface until he reached damp, cool earth and, scooping a
hollow, stretched out full length to cool his burning body. A buzzard
soared lazily about in the cloudless sky, and his thoughts leaped back
to the flight of the desperadoes.

What a fool he had been to feel assured of Annette's safety merely
because Garman was unaware of her whereabouts! She rode out in the
evening--probably alone. And the rattlesnakes in the swamp were no
more dangerous than the gang which Garman had scattered about the
district!

He rose, and with glasses to his eyes peered through the dazzling heat
waves, hoping against hope to catch some sign that Garman was coming.
He gave up hope. Hours had passed. Garman would have been back long
ago if he was coming. And he would have come if he had continued to
believe that Annette was with Payne.

Garman must have discovered the true circumstances of Annette's
disappearance. In no other way was his failure to return to be
explained. And Roger had been lying there in the dirt, waiting like a
fool, while Garman was taking measures to get her in his power again!

The dugout lay in the big ditch close to its junction with the river;
and the river ran down to Garman's house. Roger stepped into the craft
and shoved off. He was thrusting the boat out into the current of the
river when a faint whip-like crack came to his ears. He shoved back
and leaped ashore.

Higgins had fired a shot up on Flower Prairie.

XXXII

Roger lay hugging the ground, his finger on the rifle trigger, peering
through the dancing heat waves and straining his ears for the crack of
shots in reply. He could not see Flower Prairie from his post, but
Blease could; and he knew that the squatter was on the alert, ready to
throw in aid of Higgins. He kept his own position because all three
had agreed that Garman's gang would attack from several directions. If
a single shot answered Higgins the latter could deal with his
adversary; if it was a volley Roger and Blease would rush to his
assistance.

The tense, breathless seco