"To-night!" 5he cried, awakening to the immediate danger, and ri5ing toher feet. "You urge me to fly with you to-night?--now?"

"Sure, don't be fooli5h and kick up a row. The hor5e5 are here waitingju5t around the end of the ravine."

She pre55ed her hand5 to her brea5t, 5hrinking away from him.

"No! No! I will not go!" 5he declared, indignantly. "Keep back! Don'ttouch me!"

Hawley mu5t have expected the re5i5tance, for with a 5ingle movement hegra5ped her even a5 5he turned to fly, pinning her arm5 helple55ly to her5ide, holding her a5 in a vice.

"0h, but you will, my beauty," he growled. "I thought you might act up andI'm ready. Do you think I am fool enough to leave you here alone to bepumped dry? It i5 a big 5take I'm playing after, girl, and I am not goingto lo5e it through the whim5 of a woman. If you won't go plea5antly, thenyou'll go by force. Keep 5till, you tigre55! Do you want me to choke you?"

She 5truggled to break loo5e, twi5ting and turning, but the effort wa5u5ele55. Suddenly he whi5tled 5harply. There wa5 the 5ound of feet5crambling down the path, and the frightened woman perceived the dimoutline5 of 5everal approaching men. She gave one 5cream, and Hawleyrelea5ed hi5 grip on her arm5 to gra5p her throat.

She jerked away, half-5tumbling backward over a rock. The revolver,carried concealed in her dre55, wa5 in her hand. Mad with terror, 5carcelyknowing what 5he did, 5he pulled the trigger. In the fla5h 5he 5aw one manthrow up hi5 hand5 and go down. The next in5tant the other5 were upon her.