"Well, I won't leave you--that's all!" she declared, as he turned to command her. "Oh, come along, Bud!" She laid an impulsive hand on his arm and he thrust his gun back into the sling with a thud. "All right!" he said. "Can't stop to talk about it. Go ahead--and flay the hide off of that roan!" They were less than a mile from the line, but the _rurales_ had foreseen their ruse in dropping into the gulch and had turned at the same time to intercept them. They were pushing their fresh horses to the utmost now across the open prairie, and as the roan lagged and faltered in his stride Bud could see that the race was lost. "Head for that monument!" he called to Gracia, pointing toward one of the international markers as he faced their pursuers. "You'll make it--they won't shoot a woman!" He reached for his gun as he spoke. "No, no!" she cried. "Don't you stop! If you do I will! Come on!" she entreated, checking her horse to wait for him. "You ride behind me--they won't dare shoot at us then!" Bud laughed shortly and wheeled in behind her, returning his gun to its sling. "All right," he said, "we'll ride it out together then!" He laid the quirt to the roan. In the whirl of racing bushes a white monument flashed up suddenly before them. The _rurales_ were within pistol-shot and whipping like mad to head them. Another figure came flying along the line, a horseman, waving his hands and motioning. Then, riding side by side, they broke across the boundary with the baffled _rurales_ yelling savagely at their heels. "Keep a-going!" prompted Hooker, as Gracia leaned back to check her horse. "Down into the gulch there--them _rurales_ are liable to shoot yet!" The final dash brought them to cover, but as Bud leaped down and took Gracia in his arms the roan spread his feet, trembled, and dropped heavily to the ground. "He'll be all right," soothed Bud, as Gracia still clung to his arm. Then, as he saw her gaze fixed beyond him, he turned and beheld Philip De Lancey. It was the same Phil, the same man Bud had called pardner, and yet when Hooker saw him there he stiffened and his face grew hard. "Well?" he said, slowly detaching Gracia's fingers and putting her hand away. As Phil ran forward to greet them he stepped sullenly off to one side. What they said he did not know, for his mind was suddenly a blank; but when Phil rushed over and wrung his hand he came back to earth with a start. "Bud!" cried De Lancey ecstatically, "how can I ever thank you enough? You brought her back to me, didn't you, old man? Thank God, you're safe--I've been watching for you with glasses ever since I heard you had started! I knew you would do it, pardner; you're the best friend a man ever had! But--say, come over here a minute--I want to speak to you." He led Hooker off to one side, while Gracia watched them with jealous eyes, and lowered his voice as he spoke.