this?" he asked.

"You may as well know," said Gerald and told him. "And you keep your
mouth shut," he concluded.

Blake laughed with a certain relief. "I've got to make a get-away
myself. I'm going with you. I shot up Angus Mackay."

"You shot Angus!" Kathleen cried. Her face went white, and she clutched
the back of a chair. "Do you mean that he is dead?"

"No," Blake replied. He had learned that much from Garland, who had
decided that it would be safer for him to part company and had done so.
"He'll get over it, I guess."

"What started it?" Larry asked.

"He came for me and I downed him," Blake replied sullenly. "Never mind
what started it."

"You're lying!" Kathleen told him fiercely. "I know you, Blake. You'd
never have faced him if he had had a gun. You shot him in the back, or
unarmed."

But Gavin interposed.

"If you're coming with us, get a move on. Rustle your own outfit."

They gave Blake scant time. Immediately Larry began to pack two ponies.
If necessary these could be abandoned, but meanwhile they would save the
saddle horses. In a few minutes they were packed. All but Gavin mounted.
In the hall he took Kathleen in his great arms and kissed her.

"Good-by, Kit. No telling how this will come out. Remember what I told
you."

"I'll remember," she said. "Good-by, Gan--and good luck."

He released her and swung into the saddle. In a moment they had vanished
in the darkness, heading north for the pass which led into the
wilderness of the hills--outlaws.

CHAPTER XLIII

TAKING THE TRAIL

Kathleen returned to her room and dressed herself fully. It was only a
matter of time until pursuit would be organized, would arrive, and she
would be questioned. She would tell nothing. Her brothers should have
their fighting chance.

Already her mind, recovering from the shock of the unexpected, was busy
with the future. A sister of outlaws! Well, she would go away, adopt
some other name, and wait till she heard from Gavin.

With a swift pang of pain she thought of Angus Mackay. How badly was he
hurt? With daylight she would see, she would offer to do what she could.
Of course Faith and Jean would shrink from Blake's sister. She could not
help that. She would take her medicine. There would be much bitter
medicine to take.

She went downstairs and began to put away things that her brothers had
at first selected and then discarded. It would not be long, now, till
something happened. She picked up