He turned as if to go, while Steve caught at him, as a drowning man at a straw. "I'll testify ag'in him!" cried Steve despairingly. "Very well! That's a bargain. We're goin' to have a meetin' to-night, at the old stone quarry near the bridge. Be on hand without fail, an' remember, that it's _him_ or _you_," he added significantly. CHAPTER XX. The two girls clung closely to one another, after the manner of frightened womankind, striving vainly to abstract a grain of courage from a united fear--in the eyes of each a growing terror. "We must find Milt and give him warning!" gasped Sally faintly to her companion, at last gaining courage and voice as the two men went slowly down the ravine, their voices dropping lower and lower until they grew but a dull, unintelligible murmur to the attentive ears bent keenly to catch their meaning. "Yes," agreed Sophronia, "without delay. Is Steve Judson the man you overheard talking to the Squire?" "The very one. I recollected his voice the minute he begun to speak." "A pretty pair of villains they are,--him an' Jade, too!" Sally was already busied with her plans for her sweetheart's safety. "I'll try to beat 'em at their very own game," she said determinedly. "The first thing to be done is to see Milt." "Yes, we must find him at once," agreed her companion. "Let's go straight home, get our horses, and ride over to Mr. Pepper's where Milt works. We must see Milt himself, not trust to a message." "He can't be badly wounded, else they wouldn't expect to try him tonight," said Sally thoughtfully, hope springing anew in her breast. "Neither Jade, nor Steve talked like he was hurt at all. Perhaps he isn't." As the girls talked and planned, beset by many fears and uncertainties, they walked hurriedly across the fields, keeping pace with their nimble tongues, and when Mr. Saunders' house was reached, they quickly saddled the horses, and set out forthwith on their quest. Disappointment awaited them at their journey's end, for when they came to Mr. Pepper's place, they learned that Milt had gone across country to attend to some business for his employer, and it was uncertain at what hour he would return. Sophronia and Sally looked at one another in dire perplexity. "Want to leave a message?" asked Mr. Pepper. "If Mr. Derr comes any hour before midnight, tell him to ride over to my house," said Sophronia. "I have a very important message for him." They turned away. "He evidently isn't wounded, an' likely he won't get back in time to be summoned by the raiders," she added hopefully, as she and her companion rode homeward. "Now, what's to be done in the meantime?"