t lose an
hour--don't ever give up!"

Dale trembled under the clasp of her hands. Loosing his own from her
clinging hold, he stepped out on the porch. At that moment John appeared
on Ranger, coming at a gallop.

"Nell, I'll never come back without her," said Dale. "I reckon you can
hope--only be prepared. That's all. It's hard. But these damned deals
are common out here in the West."

"Suppose Beasley comes--here!" exclaimed Helen, and again her hand went
out toward him.

"If he does, you refuse to get off," replied Dale. "But don't let him
or his greasers put a dirty hand on you. Should he threaten force--why,
pack some clothes--an' your valuables--an' go down to Mrs. Cass's. An'
wait till I come back!"

"Wait--till you--come back!" she faltered, slowly turning white again.
Her dark eyes dilated. "Milt--you're like Las Vegas. You'll kill
Beasley!"

Dale heard his own laugh, very cold and strange, foreign to his ears. A
grim, deadly hate of Beasley vied with the tenderness and pity he felt
for this distressed girl. It was a sore trial to see her leaning there
against the door--to be compelled to leave her alone. Abruptly be
stalked off the porch. Tom followed him. The black horse whinnied his
recognition of Dale and snorted at sight of the cougar. Just then the
Mexican boy returned with a bag. Dale tied this, with the small pack,
behind the saddle.

"John, you stay here with Miss Helen," said Dale. "An' if Carmichael
comes back, keep him, too! An' to-night, if any one rides into Pine from
the way we come, you be sure to spot him."

"I'll do thet, Milt," responded John.

Dale mounted, and, turning for a last word to Helen, he felt the
words of cheer halted on his lips as he saw her standing white and
broken-hearted, with her hands to her bosom. He could not look twice.

"Come on there, you Tom," he called to the cougar. "Reckon on this track
you'll pay me for all my trainin' of you."

"Oh, my friend!" came Helen's sad voice, almost a whisper to his
throbbing ears. "Heaven help you--to save her! I--"

Then Ranger started and Dale heard no more. He could not look back. His
eyes were full of tears and his breast ached. By a tremendous effort he
shifted that emotion--called on all the spiritual energy of his being to
the duty of this grim task before him.

He did not ride down through the village, but skirted the northern
border, and worked round to the south, where, coming to the trail he had
made an hour