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〃What of thet？〃 demanded Bostil。 〃Sure she was waitin' somewheres。 They'd have
too much sense to go together。 。 。 。 Saddle up； you boys； an' we'll〃
〃Say； Bostil； I happen to know Slone didn't see Lucy last night；〃 interrupted
Holley。
〃A…huh！ Wal； you'd better talk out。〃
〃I trusted Lucy；〃 said Holley。 〃But all the same； knowin' she was in love； I
jest wanted to see if any girl in love could keep her word。 。 。 。 So about
dark I went down the grove an' watched fer Slone。 Pretty soon I seen him。 He
sneaked along the upper end an' I follered。 He went to thet bench up by the
biggest cottonwood。 An' he waited a long time。 But Lucy didn't come。 He must
have waited till midnight。 Then he left。 I watched him go backseen him go up
to his cabin。〃
〃Wal； if she didn't meet him； where was she？ She wasn't in her room。〃
Bostil gazed at Holley and the other riders； then back to Holley。 What was the
matter with this old rider？ Bostil had never seen Holley seem so strange。 The
whole affair began to loom strangely； darkly。 Some portent quickened Bostil's
lumbering pulse。 It seemed that Holley's mind must have found an obstacle to
thought。 Suddenly the old rider's face changedthe bronze was blotted outa
grayness came； and then a dead white。
〃Bostil； mebbe you 'ain't been told yet thetthet Creech rode in yesterday。 。
。 。 He lost all his racers！ He had to shoot both Peg an' Roan！〃
Bostil's thought suffered a sudden； blank halt。 Then； with realization； came
the shock for which he had long been prepared。
〃A…huh！ Is thet so？ 。 。 。 Wal； an' what did he say？〃
Holley laughed a grim； significant laugh that curdled Bostil's blood。 〃Creech
said a lot！ But let thet go now。 。 。 。 Come with me。〃
Holley started with rapid strides down the lane。 Bostil followed。 And he heard
the riders coming behind。 A dark and gloomy thought settled upon Bostil。 He
could not check that； but he held back impatience and passion。
Holley went straight to Lucy's window。 He got down on his knees to scrutinize
the tracks。
〃Made more 'n twelve hours ago；〃 he said； swiftly。 〃She had on her boots； but
no spurs。 。 。 。 Now let's see where she went。〃
Holley began to trail Lucy's progress through the grove； silently pointing now
and then to a track。 He went swifter； till Bostil had to hurry。 The other men
came whispering after them。
Holley was as keen as a hound on scent。
〃She stopped there；〃 he said； 〃mebbe to listen。 Looks like she wanted to cross
the lane； but she didn't： here she got to goin' faster。〃
Holley reached an intersecting path and suddenly halted stock…still； pointing
at a big track in the dust。
〃My God！ 。 。 。 Bostil； look at thet！〃
One riving pang tore through Bostiland then he was suddenly his old self；
facing the truth of danger to one he loved。 He saw beside the big track a
faint imprint of Lucy's small foot。 That was the last sign of her progress and
it told a story。
〃Bostil； thet ain't Slone's track；〃 said Holley； ringingly。
〃Sure it ain't。 Thet's the track of a big man；〃 replied Bostil。
The other riders； circling round with bent heads； all said one way or another
that Slone could not have made the trail。
〃An' whoever he was grabbed Lucy upmade off with her？〃 asked Bostil。
〃Plain as if we seen it done！〃 exclaimed Holley。 There was fire in the clear；
hawk eyes。
〃Cordts！〃 cried Bostil； hoarsely。
〃Mebbemebbe。 But thet ain't my idee。 。 。 。 Come on。〃
Holley went so fast he almost ran； and he got ahead of Bostil。 Finally several
hundred yards out in the sage he halted； and again dropped to his knees。
Bostil and the riders hurried on。
〃Keep back； don't stamp round so close；〃 ordered Holley。 Then like a man
searching for lost gold in sand and grass he searched the ground。 To Bostil it
seemed a long time before he got through。 When he arose there was a dark and
deadly certainty in his face； by which Bostil knew the worst had befallen
Lucy。
〃Four mustangs an' two men last night；〃 said Holley； rapidly。 〃Here's where
Lucy was set down on her feet。 Here's where she mounted。 。 。 。 An' here's the
tracks of a third mantracks made this mornin'。〃
Bostil straightened up and faced Holley as if ready to take a death…blow。 〃I'm
reckonin' them last is Slone's tracks。〃
〃Yes； I know them；〃 replied Holley。
〃An'themother tracks？ Who made them？〃
〃CREECH AN' HIS SON！〃
Bostil felt swept away by a dark； whirling flame。 And when it passed he lay in
his barn； in the shade of the loft； prostrate on the fragrant hay。 His
strength with his passion was spent。 A dull ache remained。 The fight was gone
from him。 His spirit was broken。 And he looked down into that dark abyss which
was his own soul。
By and by the riders came for him； got him up； and led him out。 He shook them
off and stood breathing slowly。 The air felt refreshing； it cooled his hot；
tired brain。 It did not surprise him to see Joel Creech there； cringing behind
Holley。
Bostil lifted a hand for some one to speak。 And Holley came a step forward。
His face was haggard； but its white tenseness was gone。 He seemed as if he
were reluctant to speak； to inflict more pain。
〃Bostil；〃 he began； huskily； 〃you're to send the Kingan' Sarchan' Ben an'
Two Face an' Plume to ransom Lucy！ 。 。 。 If you won'tthen Creech'll sell her
to Cordts！〃
What a strange look came into the faces of the riders！ Did； they think he
cared more for horseflesh than for his own flesh and blood？
〃Send the Kingan' all he wants。 。 。 。 An' send word fer Creech to come back
to the Ford。 。 。 。 Tell him I saidmy sin found me out！〃
Bostil watched Joel Creech ride the King out upon the slope； driving the
others ahead。 Sage King wanted to run。 Sarchedon was wild and unruly。 They
passed out of sight。 Then Bostil turned to his silent riders。
〃Boys； seein' the King go thet way wasn't nothin'。 。 。 。 But what crucifies me
isWILL THET FETCH HER BACK？〃
〃God only knows！〃 replied Holley。 〃Mebbe notI reckon not！ 。 。 。 But； Bostil；
you forget Slone is out there on Lucy's trail。 Out there ahead of Joel！ Slone
he's a wild…hoss hunterthe keenest I ever seen。 Do you think Creech can
shake him on a trail？ He'll kill Creech； an' he'll lay fer Joel goin'
backan' he'll kill him。 。 。 。 An' I'll bet my all he'll ride in here with
Lucy an' the King！〃
〃Holley； you ain't figurin' on thet red hoss of Slone's ridin' down the King？〃
Holley laughed as if Bostil's query was the strangest thing of all that
poignant day。 〃Naw。 Slone'll lay fer Joel an' rope him like he roped Dick
Sears。〃
〃Holley； I reckon you seeclearer 'n me；〃 said Bostil； plaintively。 〃'Pears
as if I never had a hard knock before。 Fer my nerve's broke。 I can't hope。 。 。
。 Lucy's gone！ 。 。 。 Ain't there anythin' to do but wait？〃
〃Thet's all。 Jest wait。 If we went out on Joel's trail we'd queer the chance
of Creech's bein' honest。 An' we'd queer Slone's game。 I'd hate to have him
trailin' me。〃
CHAPTER XVIII
On the day that old Creech repudiated his son； Slone with immeasurable relief
left Brackton's without even a word to the rejoicing Holley； and plodded up
the path to his cabin。
After the first flush of elation had passed he found a peculiar mood settling
down upon him。 It was as if all was not so well as he had impulsively
conceived。 He began to ponder over this strange depression； to think back。
What had happened to dash the cup from his lips？ Did he regret being freed
from guilt in the simple minds of the villagers regret it because suspicion
would fall upon Lucy's father？ No； he was sorry for the girl； but not for
Bostil。 It was not this new aspect of the situation at the Ford that oppressed
him。
He trailed his vague feelings back to a subtle shock he had sustained in a
last look at Creech's dark； somber face。 It had been the face of a Nemesis。
All about Creech breathed silent； revengeful force。 Slone worked out in his
plodding thought why that fact should oppress him； and it was because in
striking Bostil old Creech must strike through Bostil's horses and his
daughter。
Slone divined itdivined it by the subtle； intuitive power of his love for
Lucy。 He did not reconsider what had been his supposition before Creech's
returnthat Creech would kill Bostil。 Death would be no revenge。 Creech had
it in him to steal the King and starve him or to do the same and worse with
Lucy。 So Slone imagined； remembering Creech's face。
Before twilight set in Slone saw the Creeches riding out of the lane into the
sage； evidently leaving the Ford。 This occasioned Slone great relief； but only
for a moment。 What the Creeches appeared to be doing might not be significant。
And he knew if they had stayed in the village that he would have watched them
as closely as if he thought they were trying to steal Wildfire。
He got his evening meal； cared for his horses； and just as darkness came on he
slipped down into the grove for his rendezvous with Lucy。 Always this made his
heart beat and his nerves thrill； but to…night he was excited。 The grove
seemed full of moving shadows； all of which he fancied were Lucy。 Reaching the
big cottonwood； he tried to compose himself on the bench to wait。 But
composure seemed unattainable。 The night was still； only the c