e by her emotions. Stratton's face was
stony, save for a momentary ripple of the muscles about his mouth.

"And then?" he questioned.

"I--I tried to go to her, but Pedro held me in the chair." Mrs. Archer
drew a long, quivering breath. "Lynch had her by the wrist; I heard him
say something about not hurting her; and then he said, quite plainly, that
since she'd got him in this mess, she'd have to get him out. I couldn't
understand, but all at once I realized that if they did--take her away,
they'd probably tie me up, or something, to prevent my giving the alarm,
and so I pretended to faint."

She lifted her handkerchief to her lips and let it fall again. "It wasn't
easy to lie still in that chair and see the dear child--being dragged
away. But I knew I'd be quite helpless against those two villains.
She--she didn't struggle much; perhaps she hadn't the strength." The old
lady's voice shook, and she began again plucking nervously at her
handkerchief. "The minute they were out of the door, I got up and followed
them. I thought perhaps I might be able to see which way they went. It was
pitch-dark, and I crept along beside the house to the corner. I could just
see their outlines over by the corral. Pedro was saddling two horses.
When he had done, that creature, Lynch, made Mary mount and got on his own
horse, which he had been leading. Then the two men began to talk. I
couldn't hear everything, but it sounded as if they were arranging to meet
somewhere. They gave the name of a place."

Her eyes searched Buck's face with a troubled, anxious scrutiny. "So many
Arizona towns have a foreign sound, but somehow I--I've never even heard
of Santa Clara."

"Santa Clara!" burst out Bud. "Why, that's over in Sonora. If he should
get her across the border--"

Mrs. Archer sprang to her feet and caught Stratton by one arm. "Mexico!"
she cried hysterically. "Oh, Buck! You must save her from that creature!
You mustn't let him--"

"He sha'n't. Don't worry," interrupted Stratton harshly. "Tell me as
quickly as you can what else you heard. Was there anything said about the
way he meant to take?"

Mrs. Archer clenched her small hands and fought bravely for self-control.
"He said he--he might be delayed. He didn't dare take the road through
Perilla, and the trail through the mountains was probably blocked by the
sheriff." Her forehead wrinkled thoughtfully. "He said the only way was
to--to go through the pass and turn south along the