Young_ gave announcement of its departure by
two long blasts from its steam-whistle. Jim came out on the river bank and
saw the boat well out in the stream, its paddle churning up the muddy
water. Near him was an old man waving a red handkerchief. He recognized
Jim and stopped his signaling.

"So you've sent her home, pard? Wal, it's a darn good----"

"What's that?"

"Yore wife. I sent mine too. It's going to be merry hell in this yere town
afore the summer comes round----"

Jim stood petrified. He had half expected this, but now that he was face
to face with it the blow came harder than he expected it to be. She was
going--going out of his life for ever.... Perhaps it was as well that way.
He turned to Hanky, the old man.

"Did you see her go?"

"Yep. I saw her go aboard."

"Was--was there any other guy with her?"

"No--leastways, that fellow D'Arcy saw her off. Friend of yours, I take
it?"

Jim nodded, scarcely trusting himself to speak. The name was unknown to
him, but he remembered the man in the canoe who had spoken to Angela a few
months before. It must be the same man--the man who had visited her at the
camp, and who had dropped the cigar ash on the floor that morning. D'Arcy
had triumphed, then! He concluded that the latter must be aboard, though
Hanky had not seen him go on the boat. He thought of Lord Featherstone and
all those fine relations and friends of Angela's. How they would chuckle
when they heard that she had escaped from her "impossible husband"! His
gorge rose as he visualized the scene. They had sold him something only to
get it back again for nothing. It wasn't straight dealing--it wasn't on
the level. They had bargained on this eventuality when they made the deal.
They concluded it would be easy to hoodwink a "cowpuncher."

"No, by God!" he muttered. "I ain't lettin' go."

He turned to Hanky.

"You gotta hoss, Hank?"

"Sure!"

"Will you loan him to me for an hour or two? I'll take care of him. I'm
strong on hosses."

"She's yourn," replied Hanky. "Come right along and I'll fix you up. She's
stabled at Dan's place."

Ten minutes later Jim was mounted on the big black mare. He waved his hand
to Hanky and went up the street like a streak of lightning.

CHAPTER XII

INTO THE WILDERNESS

Hanky's mare, after being cooped up in a stable for a week without
exercise, stretched its neck to the fresh air, and under the urging heels
of Jim killed space at a remarkable rate.