lling sound.

Angus felt his hat lift as in a sudden squall. At the same moment Turkey
spun half around and against him, destroying his aim.

"I'm all right!" the youngster gasped, and in proof of his assertion
fired.

Bustede, his right arm hanging, had dropped his rifle and was struggling
to draw his six-shooter with his left hand. McClintock, on one knee, was
working the lever of his rifle like a saw. Rennie, a gun in either hand,
unhooked them in a rattling roar.

Suddenly Gerald pitched forward on his face. Larry doubled up and went
down. But Gavin was apparently unhurt. He saw his brothers fall. For an
instant he stood looking at them. Then he turned and bounded for the
sheltering brush. With the rush of a bull moose he crashed into it while
a sleet of lead cut twigs around him, and disappeared.

"Git him!" Bush croaked from the ground. "Git him, somebody. Oh, sink my
soul for all rotten shootin'! Six guns-and he makes the timber! Agh-r!"

Angus stooped for an instant over Turkey. The youngster, very white of
face, was sitting on the ground; but he was outcursing Bush.

"Are you hurt much? Where?"

"Not much. My shoulder. Get him, damn him! Get him for father!"

Angus found Rennie running beside him. It was impossible to trail the
fugitive. All they could do was to keep on up the draw and trust to
luck. But the pace and the rough ground soon told on Rennie.

"I can't travel no more," he gasped. "Too old. You go ahead."

"Go back and help the boys," Angus said. "There's a moon to-night and I
may not be back. If I don't find him I'll come in in the morning."

"Be darn sure you do come in. Don't take no chances."

Angus ran on up the draw. Now that he was alone he began to put forth
his strength and speed while the light should last. He was sure that
Gavin would make for the higher ground. He would cross the summit of
that range, and go ahead for the Cache. Though he had neither food nor
outfit he had his six-shooter and presumably ammunition and matches.
Angus knew that he himself would suffer little more than inconvenience
if he were in Gavin's place.

The draw narrowed, and steep hills closed in on either hand. He turned
to the right and began to climb. Darkness overtook him and he stopped.
The cold chilled his sweating body with the cessation of motion, but
Gavin was as badly off. When the moon rose he went on again, but it was
slow work. Objects were distorted. Shadows lay where he would have had