t," returned the
outlaw sternly.

"I'm very glad no other man did say it, then," returned Charlie, "for
your hands must be sufficiently stained already. But don't let anger
blind you to the fact, Ralph, that you and I were once old friends; that
I am your friend still, and that, what is of far greater importance, the
Almighty is still your friend, and is proving His friendship by
thwarting you."

"You preach a strange doctrine," said Buck Tom, laughing softly, "but
you must end your sermon here in the meantime, for we have reached the
entrance to Traitor's Trap, and have not room to ride further abreast.
I will lead, and do you follow with care, for the path is none o' the
safest. My asking you to follow me is a stronger proof than you may
think that I believe in your friendship. Most strangers whom I escort
up this gorge are usually requested to lead the way, and I keep my
revolver handy lest they should stray from the track!"

The defile or gorge which they had reached was not inappropriately
named, for, although the origin of the name was unknown, the appearance
of the place was eminently suggestive of blackness and treachery. Two
spurs of the mountain range formed a precipitous and rugged valley
which, even in daylight, wore a forbidding aspect, and at night seemed
the very portal to Erebus.

"Keep close to my horse's tail," said Buck Tom, as they commenced the
ascent. "If you stray here, ever so little, your horse will break his
neck or legs."

Thus admonished, our hero kept a firm hand on the bridle, and closed up
as much as possible on his guide. The moon was by this time clouded
over, so that, with the precipitous cliffs on either side, and the great
mass of the mountains further up, there was only that faint sombre
appearance of things which is sometimes described as darkness visible.
The travellers proceeded slowly, for, besides the danger of straying off
the path, the steepness of the ascent rendered rapid motion impossible.
After riding for about three miles thus in absolute silence, they came
to a spot where the track became somewhat serpentine, and Charlie could
perceive dimly that they were winding amongst great fragments of rock
which were here and there over-canopied by foliage, but whether of trees
or bushes he could not distinguish. At last they came to a halt in
front of what appeared to be a cliff.

"Dismount here," said Buck in a low voice, setting the example.

"Is this the end of