“Then let’s hurry and light out. These here Texans are so suspicious, always so impatient. They won’t listen to reason, and even if you was to tell ’em you was my darter they wouldn’t listen to it. My, my, but I’m goin’ to take comfort in my child. All these years a pore, lonely man, thinkin’ all he loved was dead an’ gone; it’s a great change for Cyrus Sparks, I tell ye. Go tell ’em, Louisy, an’ let’s git off before there’s trouble. I’ll keep clost fer a few days an’ nobody will be the wiser. I wouldn’t have a ha’r of that gal’s head in danger, though she did come near to making an end of me, an’ so I’ll keep clost.” Louisa’s fears being sufficiently aroused she rushed to where Christine and Alison were. Now that it was light they had given over their watch, had despatched Pedro for Bud Haley and were preparing to get breakfast when Louisa appeared with her astounding tale. She told it in such a way as to carry conviction and although both sisters begged her not to leave them till more could be proved, she declared it was her duty and so worked upon their sympathies that they hurried her departure, and within a half hour Cyrus Sparks, with his daughter mounted behind him upon his horse, started forth. Alison and Christine watched them out of sight and then turned back to the house which seemed lonely without Louisa’s cheerful presence. “We mustn’t let any one know that Louisa has gone, not just yet,” said Christine. “They might suspect that our prisoner was her father. We’ll try and keep her going a secret for a few days and must simply say that our prisoner escaped while Pedro was gone.” “I hate to have any one think we couldn’t guard him any better than that,” said Alison. “We’ll have to let them think so for Louisa’s sake. Poor Lou, she was so upset, and I don’t wonder. It certainly is a most remarkable episode. I must confess I don’t admire the looks of Cyrus Sparks.” “Nor I, but one cannot always judge by appearances, and we must hope that he will treat her well.” “If he doesn’t she must come back to us. We’ll ask the boys to look out for her. Ira Korner will have an eye to all that concerns Louisa, you may be sure.” “And if this horrid old war were not going on there would be John and Neal and Reub to see how matters stand. Come, let’s have our breakfast, for Pedro will be back directly.” It was not very long before Pedro with two other men clattered up to the door and, without ceremony, stalked into the house. “Where’s your man?” cried Bud Haley. “Oh,” the girls looked at each other in pretended consternation, “he’s gone. He got away.” “The--dickens he did.” Bud looked at Pedro disgustedly. “You said he was bound. You----” “He is make fas’. I am see so,” said Pedro, deprecatingly. “They’re mighty cute, some of these fellows,” put in Blythe Van Dorn, a curly haired, broad-shouldered youth. “They know a trick or two and can get out of ’most any tie-up. How long since he got away?” “A very little while after Pedro left.”