ou can find him quick. An'
rustle."

Without a word John leaped bareback on one of the horses he had just
unsaddled and spurred him across the courtyard.

Then the big cougar, seeing Helen, got up from where he lay on the porch
and came to her.

"Oh, it's Tom!" cried Helen, and as he rubbed against her knees she
patted his head with trembling hand. "You big, beautiful pet! Oh, how I
remember! Oh, how Bo would love to--"

"Where's Carmichael?" interrupted Dale. "Out huntin' Bo?"

"Yes. It was he who missed her first. He rode everywhere yesterday. Last
night when he came back he was wild. I've not seen him to-day. He made
all the other men but Hal and Joe stay home on the ranch."

"Right. An' John must stay, too," declared Dale. "But it's strange.
Carmichael ought to have found the girl's tracks. She was ridin' a
pony?"

"Bo rode Sam. He's a little bronc, very strong and fast."

"I come across his tracks. How'd Carmichael miss them?"

"He didn't. He found them--trailed them all along the north range.
That's where he forbade Bo to go. You see, they're in love with each
other. They've been at odds. Neither will give in. Bo disobeyed him.
There's hard ground off the north range, so he said. He was able to
follow her tracks only so far."

"Were there any other tracks along with hers?"

"No."

"Miss Helen, I found them 'way southeast of Pine up on the slope of the
mountain. There were seven other horses makin' that trail--when we run
across it. On the way down we found a camp where men had waited. An'
Bo's pony, led by a rider on a big horse, come into that camp from the
east--maybe north a little. An' that tells the story."

"Riggs ran her down--made off with her!" cried Helen, passionately. "Oh,
the villain! He had men in waiting. That's Beasley's work. They were
after me."

"It may not be just what you said, but that's close enough. An' Bo's
in a bad fix. You must face that an' try to bear up under--fears of the
worst."

"My friend! You will save her!"

"I'll fetch her back, alive or dead."

"Dead! Oh, my God!" Helen cried, and closed her eyes an instant, to open
them burning black. "But Bo isn't dead. I know that--I feel it. She'll
not die very easy. She's a little savage. She has no fear. She'd fight
like a tigress for her life. She's strong. You remember how strong. She
can stand anything. Unless they murder her outright she'll live--a long
time--through any ordeal.... So I beg you, my friend, don'