Chapter 4 - Page 2

footing for his horse when he left the road, but John Doe was accustomed to that. He jumped boulders, shied around buckthorn, crashed through sagebrush and so brought the girl to bay against a wet bank, where she stood shivering. The terror in her face and her wide eyes would have made her famous in the movies. It made Lone afraid she was crazy.

Lone swung off and went up to her guardedly, not knowing just what an insane woman might do when cornered. "There, now, I'm not going to hurt yuh at all," he soothed. "I guess maybe you're lost. What made you run away from me when you saw me coming?"

Lorraine continued to stare at him.

"I'm going to the ranch, and if you'd like a ride, I'll lend you my horse. He'll be gentle if I lead him. It's a right smart walk from here." Lone smiled, meaning to reassure her.

"Are you the man I saw shoot that man and then fasten him to the stirrup of the saddle so the horse dragged him down the road? If you are, I--I----"

"No--oh, no, I'm not the man," Lone said gently. "I just now came from home. Better let me take you in to the ranch."

"I was going to the ranch--did you see him shoot that man and make the horse drag him--make the horse--he slashed that horse with the quirt--and he went tearing down the road dragging--it--it was--horrible!"

"Yes--yes, don't worry about it. We'll fix him. You come and get on John Doe and let me take you to the ranch. Come on--you're wet as a ducked pup."

"That man was just riding along--I saw him when it lightened. And he shot him--oh, can't you do something?"

"Yes, yes, they're after him right now. Here. Just put your foot in the stirrup--I'll help you up. Why, you're soaked!" Perseveringly Lone urged her to the horse. "You're soaking wet!" he exclaimed again.

"It rained," she muttered confusedly. "I thought it was the ranch--but they were rocks. Just rocks. Did you see him shoot that man? Why--why it shouldn't be allowed! He ought to be arrested right away--I'd have called a policeman but--isn't thunder and lightning just perfectly awful? And that horse--going down the road dragging----

"You'd better get some one to double for me in this scene," she said irrelevantly. "I--I don't know this horse, and if he starts running the boys might not catch him in time. It isn't safe, is it?"

"It's safe," said Lone pityingly. "You won't be dragged. You just get on and ride. I'll lead him. John Doe's gentle as a dog."

"Just straight riding?" Lorraine considered the matter gravely. "Wel-ll--but I saw a man dragged, once. He'd been shot first. It--it was awful!"

"I'll bet it was. How'd you come to be walking so far?"

Lorraine looked at him