As the reader knows, John Pierson and Dopey had hidden from the hotel, among the rocks, and sneaked around until they reached the point from which anyone could enter or leave the hotel by the window which was built for that express purpose. It served as a convenient fire-escape, as when one of the wooden buildings takes fire in that dry season, no one could save himself by the stairway. And, perhaps on account of possible fights between rival cowboys, it was a handy means of exit. Pierson had dashed into Muriel’s room and said: “Quick! gather your traps and come! We are tracked!” Giving her no time to think, he seized the food that was spread on the table and thrust it into his pockets. Then he lifted Dora in his powerful arms and sprang out to the open window, and from there stepped easily to the rock, turning only to see if Dopey was following. Muriel had taken her hat and wrap and that of Dora in her arms, and followed Pierson quickly, as she did not believe him, and thought this but a subterfuge to get Dora out into the wild gorges of the forbidding black mountains. Dopey had the gripsack, and they easily made their escape. All day they traveled up and down slopes, hills and rugged mountains until even John was tired and willing to sit down. He divided the food evenly between them, and they were glad of even that scanty fare. Dopey was manifestly dissatisfied. He muttered to himself that it wasn’t right to take a fellow away from his dope, which was meat and drink both, and bring him here where the mountain air made him hungry all the time, and then choke off his regular meals. Just as it was growing dark, they came upon an abandoned shack and went in boldly. John, who had lived several years in these places, knew that even if the owner should come he would bid them welcome to all there was there, and soon he had built a fire on the open hearth, and looked about to see what there was to eat. There was a bunk in one end of the shack, with plenty of clean leaves, and in a box hung to a rafter in the middle of the cabin he found a can of coffee, another of sugar, a bag of prepared flour and a side of bacon. Their immediate necessity was thus provided for. Dora scarcely knew that they had changed their location and continued singing as before, but at last the song jarred upon the nerves of her captor, and he said: “Stop that! Stop that singing! I won’t have it. You’ll have the whole outfit down upon us like a hungry pack. Stop, I say, or I’ll gag you!” “Let her alone! Let her alone, I say!” said Muriel, springing forward between them. “Poor thing! she does not know what she is doing. She’ll go to sleep soon.”