on, to get the wounded man
to Artesian Ranch, about eighteen miles distant down on the Julia side
of the desert.

Never before or afterward in the lives of the actors in this outland
drama were the mountains that divided the desert to know such a drive
as that. Jerkline Jo had a set of four-up checks which she carried in
case of emergency, and by one o'clock four of her big whites were
racing down the perilous grade, with Jo holding the four leather lines
and operating the brake repeatedly, urging them to greater efforts
continually. The huge wagon careened about hairpin curves, skirted
precipices, rumbled from canon to canon, while the girl, always sure of
herself, always sure of her horses, guided it skillfully and laughed at
catastrophies that yawned at her every foot of the way.

In the middle of the afternoon they raced out on the desert and took up
the long miles to the ranch. At dark they reached it, the horses badly
spent, unaccustomed as they were to moving faster than a walk. There
was an automobile at the ranch, and Hiram was hurried on to the doctor
at Julia, while Jo worked far into the night rubbing down her trembling
whites, crooning to them, and giving them short drinks of water until
they were resting their weary bodies in the litter, content and quiet
at last.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE GENTLE WILD CAT RETURNS

Hiram Hooker was very weak when he reached the doctor. The bullet was
found and successfully removed, however, and Hiram's great physical
perfection did the rest.

He was quickly on the mend, and in a month was able to take his team
again.

Meantime Jerkline Jo and her four other skinners had contrived to make
their customary trips from Julia to Ragtown, all of them calling to see
Hiram, who was being cared for at the doctor's house, the minute they
completed their west-bound trip. Jo spent most of her time with him
when in Julia, and when he was well enough they talked frequently of
the strange occurrence in the mountains. But they did not get down to
solid work on the mystery until Hiram was on his first trip to Ragtown
after his wound had healed. Then the wagon train came to a stop at the
curves, and Jo and all of her skinners walked through the forest to the
scene of Hiram's battle.

After a search they found the spot. Jo showed the men the razor, still
propped up as she had left it, held up by the sucker of the black oak.
She found the remains of the lariat, too. A search