sfied that Van Loo was doing a mean thing meanly. Mr. Hamlin
also had a taste for mischief, and whether the woman was or was not
fair game, he knew that for HIS purposes Van Loo was. With the greatest
cheerfulness in the world he wheeled his horse and cantered after them.

They were evidently making for the Divide and a fresh horse, or to
take the coach due an hour later. It was Mr. Hamlin's present object
to circumvent this, and, therefore, it was quite in his way to return.
Incidentally, however, the superior speed of his horse gave him the
opportunity of frequently lunging towards them at a furious pace, which
had the effect of frantically increasing their own speed, when he would
pull up with a silent laugh before he was fairly discovered, and allow
the sound of his rapid horse's hoofs to die out. In this way he amused
himself until the straggling town of the Divide came in sight, when,
putting his spurs to his horse again, he managed, under pretense of
the animal becoming ungovernable, to twice "cross the bows" of the
fugitives, compelling them to slacken speed. At the second of these
passages Van Loo apparently lost prudence, and slashing out with his
whip, the lash caught slightly on the counter of Hamlin's horse. Mr.
Hamlin instantly acknowledged it by lifting his hat gravely, and speeded
on to the hotel, arriving at the steps and throwing himself from the
saddle exactly as the buggy drove up. With characteristic audacity, he
actually assisted the frightened and eager woman to alight and run into
the hotel. But in this action her veil was accidentally lifted. Mr.
Hamlin instantly recognized the pretty woman who had been pointed out
to him in San Francisco as Mrs. Barker, the wife of one of the partners
whose fortunes had interested him five years ago. It struck him that
this was an additional reason for his interference on Barker's account,
although personally he could not conceive why a man should ever try
to prevent a woman from running away from him. But then Mr. Hamlin's
personal experiences had been quite the other way.

It was enough, however, to cause him to lay his hand lightly on Van
Loo's arm as the latter, leaping down, was about to follow Mrs. Barker
into the hotel. "You'll have time enough now," said Hamlin.

"Time for what?" said Van Loo savagely.

"Time to apologize for having cut my horse with your whip," said Jack
sweetly. "We don't want to quarrel before a woman."

"I've no time for fooling