ughly alarmed, stared at him
uneasily. "You'd better let me go back," he said quickly. "They'll need
yuh more."

"I don't give a damn whether they need me or not," retorted Buck swiftly.
"I've got a better idea, though. We'll hit Las Vegas inside of ten
minutes. The 'phone's still working, isn't it?"

"It was the last I knew."

"I'll take a chance. There's been nothing to put it out of business. By
calling up we'll know how things stand a whole lot quicker. If she and
Mrs. Archer are alone, I'll chase back at once and you can show Hardenberg
the way into the mountains."

Though Bud's face showed no particular pleasure in the plan, he made no
comment, and they rode on in silence. Presently the sheriff turned and
called to Stratton. The trail was spreading out, he said, and growing more
and more difficult to follow in the waning light.

"I don't understand why they rode so far apart," he said, "unless it was
to make it hard for any one to track them. Looks to me, though, as if they
were heading straight for that cut into the mountains you told me about.
Is it much further off?"

"About a quarter of a mile below the little 'dobe shack we're coming to,"
Stratton answered. "The creek takes a sharp turn to the southeast, and
right at the bend you cross and ride straight west into a narrow draw that
doesn't look like it went anywhere. Further on it twists around and leads
into a short canyon that brings you through to a sort of valley lying
between the hills. After that everything's plain sailing. It's almost as
plain as a regular trail."

"Good," nodded Hardenberg. "Anything to mark the draw?"

Buck thought a minute. "As I remember, there's a low ridge on the north
side, and a big clump of mesquite on the right just before you leave the
flats."

"Well, you'll be with us to act as guide. I wish we'd had an hour's
earlier start, though. It won't be any cinch traveling through these
mountains in the dark. Still, at the worst, we can count on Dick Jordan's
bunch to nab them as they come out."

Buck nodded. "I'm not sure I can stick along with you much longer," he
added briefly. "But Jessup can show you the way quite as well. There seems
to be some doubt now about those people I spoke of being still at the
ranch."

"Humph! That would mean that Miss Thorne would be there alone?"

"Yes, except for her aunt. I may be worrying unnecessarily, but with a
scoundrel like Lynch--"

"You never can tell," finished the sherif