Suddenly, however, he gave
his horse's head a sharp turn to the right. In an instant he was riding
back, shooting no more, and Tom Reade had passed safely out of range.
With wild whoops the Paloma horsemen dashed on. Their mounts were not
spent as was that of the hotel man.
"Don't shoot the fellow, if you can help it!" Tom Reade had called, as
the horsemen swept by him. "Rope Ashby if you can."
Suddenly the hotel man's mount was seen to stagger slightly. It was
sufficient to pitch Ashby, who was not on his guard.
With wilder whoops the Arizona men spurred their ponies on. There was a
whirring of lariats and no less than three nooses had fallen over the
hotel man's head.
There came a brief interval in which the men, swooping down on the
captive, concealed him from the view of others.
Out of this crush soon came order. Then it was seen that Ashby had been
roped securely and was being led back to the railroad camp.
"We've got the scoundrel, with four ropes hitched to him," called one of
the captors.
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