e; the horses
became tractable; the men gathered closer to the fire, with the halters
still held firmly.

"If it was a cougar--thet 'd scare him off," said Anson.

"Shore, but it ain't a cougar," replied Wilson. "Wait an' see!"

They all waited, listening with ears turned to different points, eyes
roving everywhere, afraid of their very shadows. Once more the moan of
wind, the mockery of brook, deep gurgle, laugh and babble, dominated the
silence of the glen.

"Boss, let's shake this spooky hole," whispered Moze.

The suggestion attracted Anson, and he pondered it while slowly shaking
his head.

"We've only three hosses. An' mine 'll take ridin'--after them squalls,"
replied the leader. "We've got packs, too. An' hell 'ain't nothin' on
this place fer bein' dark."

"No matter. Let's go. I'll walk an' lead the way," said Moze, eagerly.
"I got sharp eyes. You fellars can ride an' carry a pack. We'll git out
of here an' come back in daylight fer the rest of the outfit."

"Anson, I'm keen fer thet myself," declared Shady Jones.

"Jim, what d'ye say to thet?" queried Anson. "Rustlin' out of this black
hole?"

"Shore it's a grand idee," agreed Wilson.

"Thet was a cougar," avowed Anson, gathering courage as the silence
remained unbroken. "But jest the same it was as tough on me as if it hed
been a woman screamin' over a blade twistin' in her gizzards."

"Snake, shore you seen a woman heah lately?" deliberately asked Wilson.

"Reckon I did. Thet kid," replied Anson, dubiously.

"Wal, you seen her go crazy, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"'An' she wasn't heah when you went huntin' fer her?"

"Correct."

"Wal, if thet's so, what do you want to blab about cougars for?"

Wilson's argument seemed incontestable. Shady and Moze nodded gloomily
and shifted restlessly from foot to foot. Anson dropped his head.

"No matter--if we only don't hear--" he began, suddenly to grow mute.

Right upon them, from some place, just out the circle of light, rose a
scream, by reason of its proximity the most piercing and agonizing yet
heard, simply petrifying the group until the peal passed. Anson's huge
horse reared, and with a snort of terror lunged in tremendous leap,
straight out. He struck Anson with thudding impact, knocking him over
the rocks into the depression back of the camp-fire, and plunging after
him. Wilson had made a flying leap just in time to avoid being struck,
and he turned to see Anson go down. There came a crash,