There was only one horse that carried himself like that, even when he was pulling double. We spotted him the same second. Rainbow and Starlight on him! What in thunder makes him ride like that?

When he came closer we saw by his face that something was up. His eyes had the gloomy, dull fire in them that put me in mind of the first time I saw him when he came back wounded and half dead to the Hollow.

“Don’t stop to talk, boys,” he sings out, without stopping, “but ride like the devil. Head to the left. That infernal Warrigal has laid the police on your track, Dick. They were seen at Willaroon; may be up at any minute.”

“Where’s Warrigal now?” I said, as we all took our horses by the head and made for a patch of dark timber we could see far out on the, plain.

“He dropped when I fired at him,” says Starlight; “but whether the poor beggar’s dead or not I can’t say. It isn’t my fault if he betrays anyone again.”

“How did it come out?”

“I was tired of waiting at that confounded hotel—not a soul to speak to. I rode back as far as Kate’s, just to see if you had passed. She didn’t know me a bit.”

“The deuce she didn’t! Why, she broke out on me and Jim. Said something about you and Warrigal, too.”

“Wonderful creatures. women,” says he, thoughtful-like; “and yet I used to think I understood them. No time to do anything, though.”

“No; the nearest police station’s a day off. I’d give a trifle to know who’s after us. How did you find out Warrigal’s doubling on me? not that it matters now; d--n him!”

“When I talked about going back he was in a terrible fright, and raised so many objections that I saw he had some reason for it; so I made him confess.”

“How did he do it?”

“After we’d passed Dandaloo, and well inside the West Bogan scrubs, he picked up a blackfellow that had once been a tracker; gave him a pound to let them know at the police camp that you were making out by Willaroon.”

“I knew he had it in for me,” said I; “but I depended on his not doing anything for fear of hurting you.”