hove towards the three which sent them all sprawling on the
floor in a pretty badly mixed-up condition. I made a dash for the
door, and as I went through it I grabbed the key and locked them
in. When I turned to do so I saw the lot struggling up from the
floor, and, knowing that it wouldn't take them many seconds to
find their way out through the window, I didn't waste much time
in watching them.

Camp, Baldwin, and the judge had left their horses just outside
the saloon, and there they were still patiently standing, with
their bridles thrown over their heads, as only Western horses
will stand. It didn't take me long to have those bridles back in
place, and as I tossed each over the peak of the Mexican saddle I
gave two of the ponies slaps which started them off at a lope
across the railroad tracks. I swung myself into the saddle of the
third, and flicked him with the loose ends of the bridle in a way
which made him understand that I meant business.

Baldwin's cowboys had most of them scattered to the various
saloons of the place, but two of them were standing in the
door-way of a store. I acted so quickly, however, that they
didn't seem to take in what I was about till I was well mounted.
Then I heard a yell, and fearing that they might shoot,--for the
cowboy does love to use his gun,--I turned sharp at the saloon
corner and rode up the side street, just in time to see Camp
climbing through the window, with Baldwin's head in view behind
him.

Before I had ridden a hundred feet I realized that I had a
done-up horse under me, and, considering that he had covered over
forty miles that afternoon in pretty quick time, it was not
surprising that there wasn't very much go left in him. I knew
that Baldwin's cowboys could get new mounts in plenty without
wasting many minutes, and that then they would overhaul me in
very short order. Clearly there was no use in my attempting to
escape by running. And, as I wasn't armed, my only hope was to
beat them by some finesse.

Ash Forks, like all Western railroad towns, is one long line of
buildings running parallel with the railway tracks. Two hundred
feet, therefore, brought me to the edge of the town, and I
wheeled my pony and rode down behind the rear of the buildings.
In turning, I looked back, and saw half a dozen mounted men
already in pursuit, but I lost sight of them the next moment. As
soon as I reached a street leading back to the railroad I turned
again, and rode towar