The nearer we approached the dug-out the more I dreaded the idea of going back among the villainous cut-throats.
My first plan of escape having failed, I now determined upon another.
[Illustration: MY ESCAPE FROM THE HORSE THIEVES.] 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.