drank and bathed their scratched faces and hands. The water, ice-cold from the mountains, seemed to steady the girl. She was obviously worn out, but she made no complaint, and he could not but admire her courage. Several times she refused his proffered help, but once, on the bank of a shallow creek, she hesitated. Without a word, he swept her up into his arms and carried her over.
'No wonder they call you `Sudden',' she said breathlessly as he put her down again.
'They don't--if they like me,' he returned harshly.
They fell into a silence which endured until he called a halt and went to climb a hillock which would give him a wider view of the country.
'Hearney's Peak is over there,' he said, pointing. 'Deadwood can't be so far away; we should make it before night. Yu can sleep for an hour. They say, 'He who sleeps, dines.' ' As obedient as a child, she curled herself up on a carpet of dry leaves and closed her eyes. Sudden lighted a cigarette and sat down to keep watch. Lying there, one soft cheek pillowed on a palm, she looked very lovely despite her torn garments and untended hair, but the man gave her one thought only--'As dangerous to handle as a rattler,' and fell to studying the --to him--more interesting problem of her brother.
When they resumed the journey it was patent that the rest had done her good.
Peering into a stream she caught the reflection of herself. 'Heavens! what a sight I am,' she ejaculated.
'I like yu better this way,' he said bluntly, and got a quick smile of thanks.
Night was falling when, at long last, they reached the top of the gulch and saw the blurred string of lights which marked the town below. Both were terribly footsore, and the woman was so completely exhausted that her companion had almost to carry her. By keeping behind the buildings and so avoiding the street, they managed to reach her dwelling unobserved. Spent as he was, he would not go in.
'It ain't far to Jacob's an' the sooner yu hit yore blankets, the better,' he excused.
'I feel I can sleep a week,' she confessed.
'Forty winks won't be no use to me either,' he grinned. 'Jim, you've been splendid,' she whispered.
'Aw, forget it,' he said uncomfortably. 'Yu pulled yore weight--an' more.'
'I'll always remember,' she said in a low voice. 'Good night --partner.' How he managed the final stage of the journey Sudden never quite knew. Gerry told him afterwards that he stumbled in, wolfed a meal, gave them a brief account of his adventures, and flinging himself on his bed, slept like a dead man.
'We didn't know whether yu was drunk or dreamin',' he said. 'An' we didn't care neither.'
Chapter XIV
When Sudden awoke in the morning his first impression was that the events of the previous day had been a nightmare, for his hands were still bound. Then he realized that he was in his own room and that it was full of men, one of whom--a giant known as 'Husky' Miller--was shaking him roughly by the shoulder and telling him to get up. In the background he could see Gerry, struggling savagely with two burly fellows who were each gripping an arm. Jacob was not there. The hard, scowling faces cleared his sleep-befogged brain.
'What's the trouble?' he asked.
'No trouble a-tall--it's goin' to be a pleasure,' was the grim retort, and some of the men laughed. 'Aimin' to walk or have we gotta tote you?'
'What do yu want with me?' the puncher asked quietly. 'They're intendin' to hang yu, Jim,' Gerry oroke in. 'Yo're accused o' murderin' miners while yu were away.'
'I've been held prisoner in the hills the whole time,' Sudden said. 'Don't I get a hearin'?'
'Where's the need?' Husky rejoined. 'Why, you're wearin' the very duds you did the deeds in, an' your black's out in the corral.'
'An' has oeen there the whole while Jim was absent,' Gerry protested.
'Shut yore face,' another man said angrily. 'I dunno as you ain't in with him; we oughta string up the pair of you.' Sudden stood up. 'Keep outa this, Gerry,' he said, and to Husky, 'Once before yu nearly hanged an innocent man. Yo're goin' to do the same again. I can prove my story if yu give me time....'
'To git yore friends to lie for you, like yore pardner did,' chimed in a vicious voice which somehow seemed familiar.
Sudden looked at the speaker--youngish, black-jowled, with a cast in one eye which lent his features a peculiarly malignant expression, but he could not place him. The sneer evoked a chorus of approval.
'Git on with the job--we're wasting time,' said one. 'Yeah, an' time's money an' I'm busted,' added another, at which there was a guffaw.
Unable to resist, the prisoner found himself being hustled into the open. He had seen mob law at work and knew that, convinced of his guilt, he was doomed unless some miracle happened. A yell of execration from the hundreds who had been unable to get into the cabin, greeted his appearance and men scrambled for points of vantage to see him, though he must have been a familiar figure to most of them. Down the street he was marched until a teamster's wagon barred the way.
'Take yore beasts out, friend,' Husky said. 'We're borryin' yore wagon for a while.'
'What you want with it?' the fellow asked.
'Aimin' to stretch this hombre's neck,' the miner replied, jerking a thumb at the condemned. 'Got no time to build a gallows.' Willing hands helped to unyoke the oxen and up-end the pole. Then Husky turned to the puncher.
'Got anythin' to say?' he asked.
* * On the morning after her return, Lora was alone in the parlour with her brother, for, too prostrated even to eat, she had gone straight to bed on reaching home. The relation of her experience brought a look of bewilderment to his face.
'Who the devil can these men be?' he asked. 'And what did they want with you?'
'I don't know, but their leader threatened to torture me to make Green tell,' she replied.
'Snowy keeps his tongue too well oiled,' Paul said angrily. 'The man who took you was dressed like Green and rode a black. Are you sure it was not Green?'
'Naturally,' she said sarcastically, 'since the cowboy was tied up in camp when I arrived with my captor.'
'Settles that, of course,' he admitted. 'You can't describe this fellow--Hank?' She shook her head. 'Medium height and build, with a throaty voice which may have been due to the handkerchief over his mouth.'
'So, when you escaped, you spent the night in the woods with Green?'
'Certainly, there being no alternative save the outlaws.'
'Did he make love to you?' She laughed disdainfully. 'My dear Paul, no man makes love to me without my permission. He conducted himself like a gentleman.'
'Which was a disappointment, no doubt?' The gibe sent the blood into her cheeks. Looking him directly in the face, she said fiercely: 'Yes.' Though he did not believe it, the defiant manner made him sorry he had hurt her. He began to say so, but she shrugged an impatient shoulder.
'It doesn't matter,' she said. 'You resemble Snowy, only your tongue is too well ground. Is there any news?'
'Some more miners have been killed and robbed by a man in cowboy clothes, riding a black horse.' Her eyes went wide. 'Why, that must have been he--the man who nearly strangled me. I heard a shot just before I saw him.'
'The miners are taking it pretty hard.' A deep-throated bellow, like distant thunder, came to their ears.
'What on earth is that?' Lora wondered.
Snowy, flinging open the door, answered the question:
'Hey, Paul, the town's gone mad. They've got Green an' are goin' to string him up right now; they claim he's the prowlin' skunk who's been wipin'em out.' Lora's face went deathly white. 'My God, we must do something, Paul,' she cried. 'He's innocent--and useful,' she added, noting the odd look in his eyes.
'Certainly we must,' he said, 'but there's no need for you to figure in it--yet.'
'I'm coming with you,' she stated. 'I owe him that, at least. Besides, it will put him under an obligation.'
