"Hold on," interposed Bradley. "Carpy's there afore this. I met him drivin' north and he put right out for the ranch." "Couldn't you do something while they were trying to murder Father?" sobbed Kate, wringing her hands as she appealed to Bradley. "Why, what could _I_ do?" stared Bradley. "_I_ didn't have no gun. Kelly and me got the wagon down and picked Barb up 'n' got him to the house. He told me to put out for town and get you and Jim Laramie; he's out of his head, you see." "Did they see you, Bradley?" interrupted Laramie. "Never seen me, Jim." "Did Barb hit either of them?" asked Laramie. "'Tain't likely. He only got in one shot. When they seen him wrigglin' on the ground, all doubled up--you know, Jim--they jumped their horses and put across the creek." For a moment Kate's suppressed sobs broke the silence. Laramie held her in his arm. He promised her he would get her right out to her father as soon as he could take measures for pursuit. When the other men questioned Bradley, Laramie listened. He urged Kate to go inside with Belle, but she begged to stay: "I won't cry, Jim," she pleaded in a whisper. "I must stay. Let me stay." He placed her in a chair. Belle, schooled in silence during such moments, stood beside her. Laramie placing himself near Kate, half sat on the edge of the porch floor, one foot resting on the ground and the other curled under. Lefever facing him, sat on the end of the porch steps while Sawdy stood with the horses. McAlpin had hurried over to the barn to get Kitchen and telephone Tenison to come down. "There's two ways they can get out," said Laramie, casting up the situation with his companions. "One is across the Falling Wall and over the Reservation. If they've gone that way they've got a start; but they're easy to trail. The other way would be to strike east or west for the railroad. That's the big gamble--it's the easiest to play and the worst if they lose. They may separate." "My Godfrey, Jim, don't let 'em get away," exclaimed Belle, fearfully. "And there's one more angle," remarked Laramie. "They may show up right here and try to bluff it out." Sawdy shook his head against that idea. Lefever supported him. Laramie did not urge the view. "Van Horn plays cards different from everybody else," was all he said. Kitchen drove up and Tenison was in the buggy with him. What help might be had from the sheriff's office was put in Tenison's hands to manage. The railroad men were warned across the division. Outgoing train crews were notified and the enginemen told what to do, if stopped. Sawdy and Lefever were directed to strike for the Falling Wall and watch the Reservation trails, while Laramie, with Kate, was to ride straight to the ranch and pick up the trail across the creek.