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No, there was no escape for him; and besides a smile lit up the hard set of his features at the thought daylight had really come. The clouds had at last given way before the rosy herald of sunrise. The last of the ascent was accomplished, and, breathing hard, Tresler stepped on to the gravel-strewn plateau, gun in hand. He felt glad of his five-chambered companion.
The joy of the moment had driven the object of his coming from his head, and they stood heart to heart, lost in their mutual happiness, until Jake's voice, raised in bitter imprecation, reached them from the office. Then Tresler abruptly put her from him. "I had forgotten, dear," he said, in a whisper. "No, don't close that door." Diane had moved over to the door leading into the dining-room.
"You saw Red Mask last night?" he said slowly. "Yes. I saw him and one of his satellites." "Go on." It was all the man vouchsafed, but it spoke volumes. And Tresler at once proceeded with his story of the midnight visit of the masked rider and his companion.
She had given her sworn testimony at the preliminary inquiry on the ranch, and this had been put in as evidence at the higher court. And so it was nearly a month before Tresler was free to return to Forks. And during that time he had been kept very busy.
Terrified out of her life the Lady Jezebel turned swinging round on her haunches, and charged down the valley; and as she went Tresler had the questionable satisfaction of seeing the sheriff detach himself from the mob and gallop in pursuit of the raider. His own blood was up now, and though the mare had got the bit in her teeth he fought her with a fury equal to her own.
There was silence for a moment while they digested the wisdom of the suggestion. Then Jacob Smith nodded, and Lew Cawley murmured "Dead gut every time, is Joe." This loosened their tongues again until Tresler spoke. "See here, boys, you're talking of lynching, and haven't a notion of how you're going to get your man. Don't even know where to lay hands on him.
The first shock had driven her to tears, but that had passed. She was of a nature that can suffer bravely, and face the world dry-eyed, gently, keeping the bitterness of her lot to herself, and hiding her own pain under an earnest attempt to help others. Tresler was her all; and that all meant far more than mere earthly love.
For a long time his efforts were unavailing; the task seemed hopeless. Then, when the little man had begun to fear the very worst, his patient suddenly moved and threw out his legs convulsively. Once the springs of life had been set in motion, the hardy constitution asserted itself, and, without further warning, Tresler sat bolt upright and stared about him wonderingly.
It was a wonderful place, a mighty rift extending for miles into the heart of the mountains. "A nice game, too," he went on presently. "Ever seen this place before?" "Once," Tresler replied. Then he told the officer of his runaway ride. Fyles listened with interest. At the conclusion he said, "Pity you didn't tell me of this before. However, you missed the chief interest.
If I didn't wal, maybe you'd be lit out of this shack by now." Jake reached over to the table and picked up a plug of tobacco and tore off a chew with his great strong teeth. And Tresler could not help marveling at the pincher-like power with which he bit through the plug. "Now, Tresler, there's that between us that can never let us be friends. I'm goin' to get level with you some day.
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