The shelving ground along which Barry rode sometimes was a broad surface
like a spacious, graded road; again it shelved away and opened a view of
all the valley. When he reached the first of these places the rider looked
back and down and saw the posse skirting rapidly on his side of the river,
behind him and close to the cliff. They rode at an easy lope, and he could
see that their heads were bent to watch the ground. Even at this casual
gait they would reach the point at which he and the gray must swing onto
the floor of the valley before him unless he urged Molly to top speed. He
must get there at a sufficient distance from them to escape close rifle
fire, and certainly beyond point-blank revolver range. Accordingly he threw
his weight more into the stirrups and over the withers of the mare. This
brought greater poundage on her forehand and made her apt to stumble or
actually miss her step, but it increased her running power.
There was no need of a touch of the spurs. The gathering of the reins
seemed to tell Molly everything. One ear flickered back, then she leaped
out at full speed.
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