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"I rode out the south range--as I was told," began Bo, breathing hard and trying to control her feelings "That's the ride you usually take, Nell, and you bet--if you'd taken it to-day--you'd not be here now About three e up that cedar slope I always keep to high ground When I got up I sao horsemen ride out of some broken rocks off to the east They rode as if to come between me and home I didn't like that I circled south About a mile farther on I spied another horse slow That I liked still less It ht have been accident, but it looked to me as if those riders had some intent All I could do was head off to the southeast and ride You bet I did ride But I got into rough ground where I'd never been before It was slow going At last II could circle ahead of those strange riders and co"

Here she hesitated, perhaps for breath, for she had spoken rapidly, or perhaps to get better hold on her subject Not ian to be significant Roy sat absorbed, perfectly motionless, eyes keen as steel, hisover Bo's head, out of the , and it seemed that he must know the rest of her narrative Helen knew that her oide-eyed attention alone would have been all-co," resumed Bo "Pretty soon heard a horse behind I looked back I saw a big bay riding down on h the cedarsI was scared half out of an a race! Rough going--thick cedars--washes and gullies I had to make hilorious! To race for fun--that's one thing; to race for your life is another! My heart was inme I couldn't have yelled I was as cold as ice--dizzy sometiet my breath Yet the wild thrills I had! But I stuck on and held e of the cedars There the big horse gained oncloser--perhaps as close as a hundred yards--I could hear hi tripped--threw ht, but slid far--and that's what scrapedhorse dashed up, throwing gravel all over me--and his rider jumped off Noho do you think he was?"