"Ther’s somethin’ mighty curious ’bout that ther chestnut," said Eben, dropping his voice and casting an apprehensive glance along the impossible way; "don’t act like er nat’ral born horse. I dunno’s I’d like ter ketch up ’ith him after night. You know that ther deputy ’lowed he got over ther woods, from ther schoolhouse trail, ’ithout leavin’ er sign; an’ Lem’s ready ter swear, up and down, he see ’em, horse an’ man, fade out o’ sight close by that ther cedar snag. Mebbe it ain’t so, but where in tarnation did he go? An’ that boy kem home skeered out’n a hull year’s growth." "I dunno’s I’ve figgered out these here inviserble folks correct, myself," said Thornton with deep irony, "but, fur a spirit horse, ther chestnut is able to take his fodder mighty reg’lar." Eben stroked his beard and laughed softly. "Oh, I ’low he kin stand it ter hev his wings clipped, when he strikes ther bunch grass country. An’ ef Bates catches ther Northern Pacific fur Portland, say to-morrow night, like he counted on, he’ll hev time ter make ther upper Columbia an’ lay fur his man, all right." "I count on takin’ him this side ther Pass, myself," answered Mill. "Bates ’lowed ther Government ’ud set up a mighty good reward; mebbe five hundred. An’ ef that smart little filly o’ mine went down in ther slide, I ’low an extry pack-horse went with her. Stratton can’t go far ’ithout his outfit; he’s got to sneak back sometime fur rations." Eben already had started back down the gully, and Thornton followed. In a little while Stratton saw the two men riding towards the curve below. When they rounded it, he brought the chestnut from his hiding-place and in the deepening twilight resumed the perilous détour around the slide. The lack of "rations" need not trouble him. He knew the art of woodcraft too well; he could snare a bird, take a beaver like an Indian, and the Palouse wilderness before him was an open book. But had he not his rifle, with ammunition in the saddle-bags; besides his full cartridge-belt and good pistols? There was no further use of taking that overland train, and, once through the Cascades, he would shape his course northward for the Fraser. Bates—he laughed aloud—Bates might lie in wait until he rusted, there on the upper Columbia. *CHAPTER XXVI* *THE JUDGE*