fire until he had drawn a careful bead. Now his gun
spurted and Dan bowed far over his saddle as if he had been struck
from behind.

Before the rifleman could fire again Black Bart leaped high in the
air. His teeth closed on the shoulder of the lyncher and the man
catapulted from his saddle to the ground. With his yell in their ears,
Dan and Haines galloped through the cottonwoods, and swept down the
lane.

CHAPTER XXV

THE LONG RIDE

A cheer of triumph came from the lynchers. In fifty yards the
fugitives learned the reason, for they glimpsed a high set of bars
blocking the lane. Dan pulled back beside Haines.

"Can the bay make it?" he called.

"No. I'm done for."

For answer Dan caught the bridle of Lee's horse close to the bit. They
were almost to the bars. A dark shadow slid up and over them. It was
Black Bart, with his head turned to look back even as he jumped, as if
he were setting an example which he bid them follow. Appallingly high
the bars rose directly in front of them.

"Now!" called Dan to the tall bay, and jerked up on the bit.

Satan rose like a swallow to the leap. The bay followed in gallant
imitation. For an instant they hung poised in air. Then Satan pitched
to the ground, landing safely and lightly on four cat-like feet. A
click and a rattle behind them--the bay was also over, but his hind
hoofs had knocked down the top bar. He staggered, reeled far to
one side, but recovering, swept on after Satan and Dan. A yell of
disappointment rang far behind.

Glancing back Haines saw the foremost of the pursuers try to imitate
the feat of the fugitives, but even with the top bar down he failed.
Man and horse pitched to the ground.

For almost a mile the lane held straight on, and beyond stretched
the open country. They were in that free sweep of hills before the
pursuers remounted beyond the bars. In daytime a mile would have been
a small handicap, but with the night and the hills to cover their
flight, and with such mounts as Satan and the tall bay, they were
safe. In half an hour all sound of them died out, and Haines,
following Dan's example, slowed his horse to an easy gallop.

The long rider was puzzled by his companion's horsemanship, for Dan
rode leaning far to the right of his saddle, with his head bowed.
Several times Haines was on the verge of speaking, but he refrained.
He commenced to sing in the exultation of freedom. An hour before he
had been in the "rat-trap" with a c