Dodson fell back with a wave of his hand. The rifles were lowered. In a moment the travellers were on their way. The mine owner looked after them with a frown on his brow. He was not satisfied. He believed he had been tricked, but for the life of him he could not tell how. Budd was the first of the three to speak. “You got us out of that fine, Miss Lowell. Had him busy explainin’ why-for the whole time.” But Vicky was not willing to leave the case as it stood. She was annoyed at herself. Yet her judgment defended her course. “I acted like a vixen,” she said. “But I wanted to put him on the defence. The easiest way to meet an attack is to attack first, Scot once told me. So I tried to ride roughshod over him so that he wouldn’t dare take us back to Piodie with him.” “He couldn’t fight Miss Victoria Lowell,” Hugh told her, smiling. “If it hadn’t been for you he ce’tainly would have taken us to Piodie. But you had him right. He couldn’t do a thing but let us go. We’re much obliged to you.” Presently, out of the darkness, while Budd was riding a few yards ahead of them, Vicky’s voice came with unwonted humility: “You were right, Hugh, and I was wrong. I heard something about him the other day. Mrs. Budd told me, and it came direct. No matter what it was, but—I don’t want to be friends with him any more.” Hugh’s heart lifted, but all he said was, “I’m glad, Vicky.” CHAPTER XXXI HUGH TAKES THE STUMP They found Scot still defying the predictions of the doctors by hanging on to the thread of life that tied him to this world. He was asleep when the travellers arrived. Within a few minutes Hugh was in the saddle again and on the way to meet Byers and his prisoner. Before morning they had Dutch behind bars in the Carson jail. When Hugh tiptoed in to see Scot a second time, the wounded man smiled at him reproachfully. The Colonel’s hand slid weakly along the bedspread to meet his brother’s brown palm. “Glad you’re back safe,” he said in a low voice. “We brought Dutch along,” Hugh said by way of explaining his absence. A faint flash of amusement lit the drawn face. “Buck much, did he?” “Oh, he reckoned he wouldn’t come along. Then he reckoned he would.” Scot asked a question: “What have you been parboiling your face for?” “Got caught in a mine fire. How are you feelin’, Scot?” “Fine and dandy,” murmured the older brother indomitably. “Mollie’s spoiling me. Everybody’s mighty good. When I don’t feel so trifling I’ll say thank you proper.” Mollie kissed him and said gently, “Now, you’ve talked enough.” Business, much neglected of late, called Hugh to Virginia City. Every two or three days he ran down to Carson for a few hours. The doctors became more hopeful. The great vitality of their patient was beginning to triumph over the shock his system had endured.