"What the d----l does this mean?" inquired one of the other. "I don't know, unless some others have an eye on the gold, as well as ourselves." "That's it, I'll warrant. Good! They may do the murdering, and we'll rush up in time to secure the booty, by frightening them away. Then we can take the body to the next tavern, and tell how we came upon the robbers and murderers, just as they had finished their work.--Good! Let us get our horses nearer at hand, and be ready to dash upon them." While the first two villains were preparing for the new phase the affair in which they were engaged had taken, as they supposed, the two who had arrived last busied themselves in making ready for some damnable work which required darkness and that secluded spot to hide it from the sight of man. We will look after them. "Well, here we are at last," said Bill to Dick, for it was these that had arrived last. "How soon will he be here, think you?". "In a few minutes. When I last saw him, I don't think he was to exceed half a mile behind us." "He is coming now. Be sure of your aim." "Better take that advice yourself." "I intend to, for I don't want any botch work of the job." "Think those men have got ahead far enough?" "Yes, they were more than a mile ahead of us, and they will ride like Satan was after them through these wild glens." "Yonder's Hadley!" "Prepare! put your pistol close to his heart when you fire!" "All right; do the same." And the other two concealed villains were equally ready for action. "There he comes!" said one. "Their attention will be taken up that way now: let us mount, and as soon as they fire, put spurs for the scene." "Perhaps they will not use pistols," suggested the other. "Then, as soon as they strike or spring upon him." In a few seconds, Hadley came abreast of the villains who were lying in wait for him. "Now!" said Bill in a hoarse whisper, and the two at once sprang upon the lone rider, and fired the contents of their pistols into his breast. He fell from his seat, with a deep groan. The murderers were about to rifle his pockets, when they were arrested in their work of robbery by the approach of the other two horsemen, and seeing their danger, hastened to mount, and left the scene of their bloody deed, at the top of their horses' speed. The others pursued for a mile or more, and then returned to look after the slain man and their booty. "By heavens, it's not the man!" they exclaimed in a breath, as they knelt by the side of Hadley. "As I live, it is our acquaintance of yesterday! Poor fellow, he deserved a better fate." "He did, indeed. Let us return his kindness by seeing that he is decently buried; we owe him this much at least." "So we do. If I had known it was him he should not have died in this way." "Shall we go back or forward with him?" "Forward; it is nearest that way to a hamlet." "Does he breathe yet?" "No; he is quite dead."