of the
canyon wall.

"Colter--where--oh, where are Y'u takin' me?" she found voice to cry
out.

"By God! I don't know," he replied, with strong, vibrant passion. "I
was a fool not to carry y'u off long ago. But I waited. I was hopin'
y'u'd love me! ... An' now that Isbel gang has corralled us. Somers
seen the half-breed up on the rocks. An' Springer seen the rest of
them sneakin' around. I run back after my horse an' y'u."

"But Uncle Tad! ... We mustn't leave him alone," cried Ellen.

"We've got to," replied Colter, grimly. "Tad shore won't worry y'u no
more--soon as Jean Isbel gets to him."

"Oh, let me stay," implored Ellen. "I will save him."

Colter laughed at the utter absurdity of her appeal and claim. Suddenly
he set her down upon her feet. "Stand still," he ordered. Ellen saw
his big bay horse, saddled, with pack and blanket, tied there in the
shade of a spruce. With swift hands Colter untied him and mounted him,
scarcely moving his piercing gaze from Ellen. He reached to grasp her.
"Up with y'u! ... Put your foot in the stirrup!" His will, like his
powerful arm, was irresistible for Ellen at that moment. She found
herself swung up behind him. Then the horse plunged away. What with
the hard motion and Colter's iron grasp on her Ellen was in a painful
position. Her knees and feet came into violent contact with branches
and snags. He galloped the horse, tearing through the dense thicket of
willows that served to hide the entrance to the side canyon, and when
out in the larger and more open canyon he urged him to a run.
Presently when Colter put the horse to a slow rise of ground, thereby
bringing him to a walk, it was just in time to save Ellen a serious
bruising. Again the sunlight appeared to shade over. They were in the
pines. Suddenly with backward lunge Colter halted the horse. Ellen
heard a yell. She recognized Queen's voice.

"Turn back, Colter! Turn back!"

With an oath Colter wheeled his mount. "If I didn't run plump into
them," he ejaculated, harshly. And scarcely had the goaded horse
gotten a start when a shot rang out. Ellen felt a violent shock, as if
her momentum had suddenly met with a check, and then she felt herself
wrenched from Colter, from the saddle, and propelled into the air. She
alighted on soft ground and thick grass, and was unhurt save for the
violent wrench and shaking that had rendered her breathless. Before
she could rise Colter was pulling at her, l