Wid Gardner looked at Doctor Barnes. The latter made his answer by starting the car once more. Although they did not know it, they now were approaching their journey's end. They could not as yet see the swift advance of the fire from tree to tree, because the wind as yet was no stronger than the gentle air of morning; could not as yet hear any roar of the flames. But they saw that now, on these mountain slopes before them, one of the most valuable timber bodies in the state was passing into destruction.
"God damn their souls!" said Wid Gardner fervently. "Wasn't it enough what they done to us already?"
"Go on, Doc." It was Sim's voice. Wid Gardner knew perfectly well what drove Sim Gage on.
But the car soon came to a sudden halt. A couple of hundred yards on ahead lay an open glade. At the left of the trail stood a great wall tent.
In an instant, every man was out of the car, the three ranchmen, like hounds on the scent, silently trotting off, taking cover from tree to tree. A few moments, and the four of them, rifles at a ready, had surrounded the tent. As they closed in, they all heard a high, clear voice—one they would not have suspected Sim Gage to have owned—calling out: "Throw up your hands, in there!" Actually, Sim Gage was leader!
There came an exclamation in a hoarse and broken voice. "Who are you? Don't shoot—I surrender."
"How many are there of you?" inquired Doctor Barnes.
"It's me—Big Aleck—I'm shot—I'm dying— Help!—Who is it?"
"Come out, Aleck!" called the high and resolute voice of Sim Gage—"Come on out!"
"I can't come out. I'm shot, I tell you."