“All right,” I replied, for I could certainly have done nothing else.  It became evident to me that it would be better to trust myself with two men than with the whole party.  It was apparent from this time on I would have to be on the alert for some good opportunity to give them the slip.

“Come along,” said one of them, and together we went down the creek, and soon came to the spot where my horse was tied.  One of the men unhitched the animal, and said, “I’ll lead the horse.”

        “Very well,” said I; “I’ve got a couple of sage-hens here. 
        Lead on.”

I picked up the sage-hens which I had killed a few hours before, and followed the man who was leading the horse, while his companion brought up the rear.  The nearer we approached the dugout the more I dreaded the idea of going back among the villanous cut-throats.  My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another.  I had both of my revolvers with me, the thieves not having thought it necessary to search me.  It was now quite dark, and I purposely dropped one of the sage-hens, and asked the man behind me to pick it up.  While he was hunting for it on the ground, I quickly pulled out one of my Colt’s revolvers and struck him a tremendous blow on the back of the head, knocking him senseless to the ground.  I then instantly wheeled around and saw that the man ahead, who was only a few feet distant, had heard the blow and had turned to see what was the matter, his hand upon his revolver.  We faced each other at about the same instant, but before he could fire, as he tried to do, I shot him dead in his tracks.  Then, jumping on my horse, I rode down the creek as fast as possible, through the darkness and over the rough ground and rocks.

The other outlaws in the dugout, having heard the shot which I had fired, knew there was trouble, and they all came rushing down the creek.  I suppose by the time they reached the man whom I had knocked down that he had recovered, and hurriedly told them of what had happened.  They did not stay with the man whom I had shot, but came on in hot pursuit of me.  They were not mounted, and were making better time down the rough mountain than I was on horseback.  From time to time I heard them gradually gaining on me.

At last they came so near that I saw that I must abandon my horse.  So I jumped to the ground, and gave him a hard slap with the butt of one of my revolvers, which started him on down the valley, while I scrambled up the mountain side.  I had not ascended more than forty feet when I heard my pursuers coming closer and closer; I quickly hid behind a large pine-tree, and in a few moments they all rushed by me, being led on by the rattling footsteps of my horse, which they heard ahead of them.  Soon they began firing in the direction of the horse, as they no doubt supposed I was still seated on his back.  As soon as they had passed