His intuitions were right.

Van Loo, when he disappeared from the saloon, had instantly fled, taking the other horse and abandoning the woman to her fate.

Jack as instantly leaped upon the remaining saddle and dashed after him.

Presently he caught a glimpse of the fugitive in the distance, heard the half-angry, half-ironical shouts of the crowd at the back door, and as he reached the hilltop saw, with a mingling of satisfaction and perplexity, Mrs.Barker on the other road, still driving frantically in the direction of the railroad station.

At which Mr.Hamlin halted, threw away his encumbering saddle, and, good rider that he was, remounted the horse, barebacked but for his blanket-pad, and thrusting his knees in the loose girths, again dashed forwards,--with such good results that, as Van Loo galloped up to the stagecoach office, at the next station, and was about to enter the waiting coach for Marysville, the soft hand of Mr.Hamlin was laid on his shoulder.
"I told you," said Jack blandly, "that I had plenty of time.