t out of sight in the spot he had taken the other from. Then he
returned to the coach and drove on once more as though he felt no fear
of his surroundings.

He reached the night-cabin on time, and surprised the stock-tender there
by telling him that he intended to drive on to W---- that night.

"You don't mean it?"

"I certainly do."

"Why, yer'll kill yer team, smash ther old box, and crush yerself to
atoms."

"I believe I can drive the road at night," was the firm response.

"It's ther wust piece of road on ther whole Overland Trail."

"It is a bad one, but I will depend upon my team mainly and risk it."

"Why do you do it?"

"I have an idea that it will be safer."

"How so?"

"Well, if there were road-agents on the trail to hold me up to-morrow,
I'll miss them, that is all."

"Right you are, pard; but I don't believe they is as dangerous as
traveling this trail to-night."

"I'll let you know what I think upon my return," was Harding's answer,
and he drove on once more.

Night had come on, and he well knew the dangers before him from a
mistake in driving. He had been over the road perhaps half a dozen
times, always riding upon the box, but upon his last run as driver he
had most carefully noted every foot of the way.

The night was dark, but he knew that he had the instinct of his team to
depend upon, and this was more than half the battle.

He was determined to push through and save his load of gold, and if he
did make a successful run over that part of the trail by night, he would
do what no other driver had done, and on this account his pride was at
stake.

So he started boldly yet cautiously upon his way, and when the sun was
just rising in W---- the stage-agent there was awakened by wheels
dashing up to his door and heard the call:

"The coach from Last Chance has arrived."

He was up in a hurry and congratulating the young driver upon his night
drive, while he said:

"Do you know I feared you would be held up to-day, for a party of
desperadoes lately left W----, and I felt most anxious about you."

"Yes, they are on the trail waiting for me now, not knowing that I
slipped by in the night. I'll get together a band of brave fellows and
go back after them," and an hour after Harding was mounted upon a fine
horse and leading a dozen men back upon the trail he had safely driven
over in the night.

CHAPTER XVIII.

A MYSTERIOUS SOUND.

The stage-agent at W---- was right in decla