"All that's left o' the White Masks 'cept me--an' Slick," the man explained.
Evidently he had made his preparations, for concealed in the shadow at the endofthe hut they found three horses, saddled and bridled. It was darker now, for the moon was hidden by a big bankofcloud, but there was light enough to show, towering above them, a black bulkofmountain which Phil guessed must be the secondofthe Pinnacles. Their guide, however, gave them little time to study the scenery.
"Gotta hurry," he said in his curious gruff voice. "There's on'y one trail for the first few miles."
When they were mounted he went ahead, the girl following, and Embley bringing up the rear. The pathway, for it was nothing more, led along the faceofthe mountain. The girl shuddered as she remembered that she must have ridden this route blindfold.
Her mind, however, was too full to dwell long even on present danger. The dead bandit's revelation had made it clear why her father had hated and yet suffered Bartholomew, but it did not explain the mysteryofhis disappearance, and it left her still guessing as to Severn. And the queer little outlaw who for no apparent reason was effecting their escape, what part did he play in this tangled web of intrigue and crime? Silently, slumped forward in his saddle, he paced aheadofher, for the road was too narrow and rough to permit more than a walking gait.
They had been riding for more than an hour, a long, gradual descent, when the leader turned off the trail into a little forestofpines, halted and got down.
"Heard somethin'--goin' to scout a few," he said laconically. "Stay here, an' keep quiet."
Without waiting for any reply, he climbed back up the waythey had come and vanished in the gloom. The girl edged her horse over to Embley.
"Do you think he is to be trusted?" she whispered.
"I believe so, and he's our only chance," the Judge replied. "Personally, I am prepared to take any risk to reach Hope in time to foil that scoundrel Bartholomew. If they hang Severn--"
The returnofthe outlaw put an end to the conversation. He was hurrying, and it was evident he brought news.
"They're a-comin'--musta got back sooner," he panted, flinging himself into the saddle. "No use tryin' to hide--they know this country like yu do yore own doorstep. We'll have to stand 'em off; there's a Winchester on yore saddle, Judge, an' I know a good place."
Leaving the trees, they followed him at a gallop across an open space of perhaps a quarter of a mile, and pulled up at the foot of a tall bluff where a numberoffallen fragments from the cliff above offered a rough rampart. Tying the horses behind the biggest of the boulders, and finding Phil a safe position, the two men lay down, rifles ready.
"Cuss that moon," muttered the little man, for the clouds had passed.
"It'll help us more than them," the Judge pointed out. "They can't rush us."
"Shore, but we can't sneak away," the other argued. "There they are. What's the idea?"
"Flagoftruce--they want to talk."
Four riders had emerged from the pines, and oneofthem, aheadofthe rest, was waving a white scarf. They came boldly on until they were some two hundred yards away, and then Patch stood up.
"That'll be near enough," he called out. "Anythin' on yore mind?"
"What's the idea, Patch, runnin' off the prisoners thisaway?" the leader asked.
"I got my reasons but I ain't explainin' to yu," the one-eyed man replied coolly. "I'll give yu a bit of advice, though; light a shuck an' get outa the country while the goin's good."
The outlaw laughed. "Feelin' yore oats some, ain't yu?" he sneered. "We'll go when we're good an' ready, but first we want the gal an' the Judge."
"Come an' get 'em," retorted the little man.
"No need to take risks," the other pointed out. "Yu can't git away. All we gotta do is wait till help comes; we've sent for it."
"Who'd yu send--Slick?" Patch asked, and chuckled when he heard the curse the question provoked."Well, what yu goin' to do?" the bandit queried.
"Shoot if yu don't show yore tail mighty sudden," snapped out the one-eyed man, standing clear and levelling his rifle.
With a furious gesture the fellow wheeled his horse, and at the same moment came three spurtsofflame from behind him. Patch regained his shelter untouched, he and the Judge sending shots in return. Apparently they met with no success, for they saw the attackers vanish into the gloomofthe pines. For some time silence reigned.
"All bluff about sendin' for help," Patch remarked. "They ain't got no one to send. Betcher they try an' Injun up on us; there's a cloud a-comin' now."
He was right. In a few moments a veil of vapour misted the moon. Peering through the uncertain light, Patch fancied he could see a dark blotch moving laboriously over the grass. Carefully taking aim, he fired; the blotch seemed to give a spasmodic jerk and then subside. The next moment a loop dropped over his arms and he was flung violently backwards, his gun clattering on the stones beside him. Dazed by the fall, he felt the rope twisted about him; a few turns and he was powerless. A glance showed that his companions were in no better case. Bitterly he realised that the attackers had outwitted him. While oneofthem sneaked up in front, the other three had crept around the open space and come upon them from the rear. The man who had borne the flagoftruce was regarding him with an ugly look.
"Well, Patch, yo're goin' to learn it don't pay to renig," he said.
He drew his pistol on the prostrate prisoner. In another second the bullet would have sped, but a cool, rasping voice intervened:
"'Scuse me, gents, but is this a private scrap, or can anybody horn in?" it said.
The startled outlaws looked up to find the tables turned; two strangers, who had stolen up unperceived, were covering them with levelled pistols.
"Shootin' a man when yu got him hog-tied don't appeal none to me," the newcomer continued. "Reach for the sky, yu coyotes."
Two of the bandits promptly obeyed, but the would-be slayerofPatch, who had his gun out, took a chance and turned it on the stranger. But he was not quick enough; the other's gun crashed and the outlaw went down, sprawling grotesquely. One glance showed that he was dead, and the man who had fired the shot nodded his satisfaction. He then stepped over to the girl.
"Well, Miss Phil, so we've found yu at last," he said.
She gave a cryofjoy. "Why, Rayton, how do you happen to be here?" she asked.
"Severn left me an' Purdyofthe XT to comb the Pinnacles after we failed to find yu at the Cavern," the cowboy explained. "We was shore gettin' disheartened when we heard the shootin' an' p'inted for it." He looked at Embley. "Burn my hide, if it ain't the Judge ! "
In as few words as possible the lawyer outlined the position. The cowboy bit on an oath when he learnedofSevern's danger. "What we better do?" he asked in perplexity.
"We must get out of the mountains as quickly as we can," the Judge said. "Then Miss Masters, myself and this fellow Patch will head for Hope, while you and the XT man will collect your outfits and follow us. We may be in time."
Patch was released, and the other two men were set adrift, unarmed, with the plain intimation that if they remained in the country they would be shot on sight. The journey to the plains was then resumed. The Judge rode in silence, his head down, and was impatientofthe slightest delay. Phil realised that this was due to his anxiety for Severn's safety, and it impressed her. Only once she summoned the courage to ask him a question.
"Is it true that Severn was once known as Sudden, the outlaw?"
"Yes, but he was not an outlaw, he was a deputy-sheriff in the employofthe Governor," the Judge told her. "You don't like Severn, but one day T hope you'll know him better, and realise --what you owe him."
The old man's voice was rather stern and contained more than a hintofreprof. She said no more.