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as Jim Dunn； and you can come along as a white man； to see things
fixed on the square。 Come！〃
Brace hesitated。 〃You'll think better of my plan before you get
there； but I've said I'd stand by you； and I will。 Come； then。
There's no time to lose。〃
They passed out into the darkness together。
〃What are you waiting for？〃 said Dunn impatiently； as Brace； who
was supporting him by the arm； suddenly halted at the corner of
the house。
〃Some one was listeningdid you not see him？ Was it the old
man？〃 asked Brace hurriedly。
〃Blast the old man！ It was only one of them Mexican packers
chock…full of whisky； and trying to hold up the house。 What are
you thinking of？ We shall be late。〃
In spite of his weakness； the wounded man hurriedly urged Brace
forward； until they reached the latter's lodgings 。 To his
surprise； the horse and buggy were already before the door。
〃Then you reckoned to go； any way？〃 said Dunn； with a searching
look at his companion。
〃I calkilated SOMEBODY would go；〃 returned Brace； evasively；
patting the impatient Buckskin； 〃but come in and take a drink
before we leave。〃
Dunn started out of a momentary abstraction； put his hand on his
hip； and mechanically entered the house。 They had scarcely
raised the glasses to their lips when a sudden rattle of wheels
was heard in the street。 Brace set down his glass and ran to the
window。
〃It's the mare bolted；〃 he said； with an oath。 〃We've kept her
too long standing。 Follow me；〃 and he dashed down the staircase
into the street。 Dunn followed with difficulty； when he reached
the door he was already confronted by his breathless companion。
〃She's gone off on a run； and I'll swear there was a man in the
buggy！〃 He stopped and examined the halter…strap； still fastened
to the fence。 〃Cut！ by God！〃
Dunn turned pale with passion。 〃Who's got another horse and
buggy？〃 he demanded。
〃The new blacksmith in Main Street； but we won't get it by
borrowing；〃 said Brace。
〃How then？〃 asked Dunn savagely。
〃Seize it； as the sheriff of Yuba and his deputy； pursuing a
confederate of the Injin LowTHE HORSE THIEF！〃
CHAPTER VIII
The brief hour of darkness that preceded the dawn was that night
intensified by a dense smoke； which； after blotting out horizon
and sky； dropped a thick veil on the high road and the silent
streets of Indian Spring。 As the buggy containing Sheriff Dunn
and Brace dashed through the obscurity； Brace suddenly turned to
his companion。
〃Some one ahead！〃
The two men bent forward over the dashboard。 Above the steady
plunging of their own horse…hoofs they could hear the quicker
irregular beat of other hoofs in the darkness before them。
〃It's that horse thief！〃 said Dunn； in a savage whisper。 〃Bear
to the right； and hand me the whip。〃
A dozen cuts of the cruel lash； and their maddened horse；
bounding at each stroke； broke into a wild canter。 The frail
vehicle swayed from side to side at each spring of the elastic
shafts。 Steadying himself by one hand on the low rail； Dunn drew
his revolver with the other。 〃Sing out to him to pull up； or
we'll fire。 My voice is clean gone；〃 he added； in a husky whisper。
They were so near that they could distinguish the bulk of a
vehicle careering from side to side in the blackness ahead。 Dunn
deliberately raised his weapon。 〃Sing out！〃 he repeated
impatiently。 But Brace； who was still keeping in the shadow；
suddenly grasped his companion's arm。
〃Hush！ It's NOT Buckskin；〃 he whispered hurriedly。
〃Are you sure？〃
〃DON'T YOU SEE WE'RE GAINING ON HIM？〃 replied the other
contemptuously。 Dunn grasped his companion's hand and pressed it
silently。 Even in that supreme moment this horseman's tribute to
the fugitive Buckskin forestalled all baser considerations of
pursuit and capture！
In twenty seconds they were abreast of the stranger； crowding his
horse and buggy nearly into the ditch； Brace keenly watchful；
Dunn suppressed and pale。 In half a minute they were leading him
a length； and when their horse again settled down to his steady
work； the stranger was already lost in the circling dust that
followed them。 But the victors seemed disappointed。 The
obscurity had completely hidden all but the vague outlines of the
mysterious driver。
〃He's not our game； anyway；〃 whispered Dunn。 〃Drive on。〃
〃But if it was some friend of his；〃 suggested Brace uneasily；
〃what would you do？〃
〃What I SAID I'd do；〃 responded Dunn savagely。 〃I don't want
five minutes to do it in； either； we'll be half an hour ahead of
that dd fool； whoever he is。 Look here； all you've got to do
is to put me in the trail to that cabin。 Stand back of me； out
of gun…shot； alone； if you like； as my deputy； or with any number
you can pick up as my posse。 If he gets by me as Nellie's lover；
you may shoot him or take him as a horse thief； if you like。〃
〃Then you won't shoot him on sight？〃
〃Not till I've had a word with him。〃
〃But〃
〃I've chirped；〃 said the sheriff gravely。 〃Drive on。〃
For a few moments only the plunging hoofs and rattling wheels
were heard。 A dull； lurid glow began to define the horizon。
They were silent until an abatement of the smoke； the vanishing
of the gloomy horizon line； and a certain impenetrability in the
darkness ahead showed them they were nearing the Carquinez Woods。
But they were surprised on entering them to find the dim aisles
alight with a faint mystic Aurora。 The tops of the towering
spires above them had caught the gleam of the distant forest
fires； and reflected it as from a gilded dome。
〃It would be hot work if the Carquinez Woods should conclude to
take a hand in this yer little game that's going on over on the
Divide yonder；〃 said Brace； securing his horse and glancing at
the spires overhead。 〃I reckon I'd rather take a back seat at
Injin Spring when the show commences。〃
Dunn did not reply； but； buttoning his coat； placed one hand on
his companion's shoulder； and sullenly bade him 〃lead the way。〃
Advancing slowly and with difficulty the desperate man might have
been taken for a peaceful invalid returning from an early morning
stroll。 His right hand was buried thoughtfully in the side
pocket of his coat。 Only Brace knew that it rested on the handle
of his pistol。
From time to time the latter stopped and consulted the faint
trail with a minuteness that showed recent careful study。
Suddenly he paused。 〃I made a blaze hereabouts to show where to
leave the trail。 There it is；〃 he added； pointing to a slight
notch cut in the trunk of an adjoining tree。
〃But we've just passed one；〃 said Dunn； 〃if that's what you are
looking after； a hundred yards back。〃
Brace uttered an oath； and ran back in the direction signified by
his companion。 Presently he returned with a smile of triumph。
〃They've suspected something。 It's a clever trick； but it won't
hold water。 That blaze which was done to muddle you was cut with
an axe； this which I made was done with a bowie…knife。 It's the
real one。 We're not far off now。 Come on。〃
They proceeded cautiously； at right angles with the 〃blazed〃
tree； for ten minutes more。 The heat was oppressive； drops of
perspiration rolled from the forehead of the sheriff； and at
times； when he attempted to steady his uncertain limbs； his hands
shrank from the heated； blistering bark he touched with ungloved
palms。
〃Here we are；〃 said Brace； pausing at last。 〃Do you see that
biggest tree； with the root stretching out halfway across to the
opposite one？〃
〃No； it's further to the right and abreast of the dead brush；〃
interrupted Dunn quickly； with a sudden revelation that this was
the spot where he had found the dead bear in the night Teresa
escaped。
〃That's so；〃 responded Brace； in astonishment。
〃And the opening is on the other side； opposite the dead brush；〃
said Dunn。
〃Then you know it？〃 said Brace suspiciously。
〃I reckon！〃 responded Dunn； grimly。 〃That's enough！ Fall back！〃
To the surprise of his companion； he lifted his head erect； and
with a strong； firm step walked directly to the tree。 Reaching
it； he planted himself squarely before the opening。
〃Halloo！〃 he said。
There was no reply。 A squirrel scampered away close to his feet。
Brace； far in the distance； after an ineffectual attempt to
distinguish his companion through the intervening trunks； took
off his coat； leaned against a tree； and lit a cigar。
〃Come out of that cabin！〃 continued Dunn； in a clear； resonant
voice。 〃Come out before I drag you out！〃
〃All right； 'Captain Scott。' Don't shoot； and I'll come down；〃
said a voice as clear and as high as his own。 The hanging strips
of bark were dashed aside； and a woman leaped lightly to the
ground。
Dunn staggered back。 〃Teresa！ by the Eternal！〃
It was Teresa！ the old Teresa！ Teresa； a hundred times more
vicious； reckless； hysterical； extravagant； and outrageous than
before。 Teresa； staring with tooth and eye； sunburnt and
embrowned； her hair hanging down her shoulders； and her shawl
drawn tightly around her neck。
〃Teresa it is！ the same old gal！ Here we are again！ Return of
the favorite in her original character！ For two weeks only！
Houp la！ Ts