omin' this way; makin' straight for the house," he
added, glancing from the door, then shutting it with a bang. "They're
after that man; you may depend. He's a 'balitionist, or a horse thief, or
somethin'."

The children crouched, silent, pale, and terror-stricken, in a corner,
while outside, the deep baying of the hounds drew nearer and nearer, and
mingling with it came other sounds of horses' hoofs and the gruff voices
of men. Then a loud "Halloo the house!"

"What's wanted?" asked Bill, opening the one window and putting out his
head.

"The burglar you're hiding from justice and the hounds have tracked to
your door. A fellow with his right arm disabled by a pistol-shot."

"He isn't here, didn't step inside at all; don't ye see the hounds are
turning away from the door? But you kin come in an' look for yourself."

One of the men dismounted and went in.

"Look round sharp now," said the woman. "I only wish he was here fur ye to
ketch um: if I'd know'd he was a burglar, he would never hev got off so
easy. He jest come for his beast that he left with us four days ago, and
mounted there at the door and was off like a shot."

"Which way?" asked the man.

She pointed in a southerly direction. "It's the way to Texas, ain't it?
an' he's got four or five hours the start o' ye, an' on a swift horse;
he'll be over the border line afore ye kin ketch up to him."

"I'm afraid so, indeed; but justice can follow him even there," replied
the officer, hastening out, already satisfied that the one bare room did
not contain his quarry.

He sprang into the saddle, and the whole party galloped away in the wake
of the dogs, who had found the trail again and started off in full cry.

The party had a hard ride of some hours, the hounds never faltering or
losing the scent; but at length they were at fault. They had reached a
brook and here the trail was lost; it was sought for on both sides of the
stream for a considerable distance both up and down, then abandoned in
despair.

The wily burglar had made his steed travel the bed of the stream, which
was nowhere very deep, for several miles; then taking to the open country
again and traveling under cover of the darkness of a cloudy night, at
length, in a condition of utter exhaustion, reached a place of safety
among some of his confederates; for he had joined himself to a gang of
villains who infested that part of the country.

But "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be