Once the frightened beast swung him clear of the ground.

A few yards distant Durand sat on his own horse and held the bridles of the others.

He soothed the restless animals in low tones, the light of his cigarette shaking oddly in the dark with the movement of his lips.
The horse ceased to plunge; Zmai held its rider erect with his left arm while the right drew the sack down over the head and shoulders of the prisoner.
"Tie him," said Chauvenet; and Zmai buckled a strap about the man's arms and bound them tight.
The dust in the bag caused the man inside to cough, but save for the one exclamation he had not spoken.

Chauvenet and Durand conferred in low tones while Zmai drew out a tether strap and snapped it to the curb-bit of the captive's horse.
"The fellow takes it pretty coolly," remarked Durand, lighting a fresh cigarette.

"What are you going to do with him ?" "We will take him to his own place--it is near--and coax the papers out of him; then we'll find a precipice and toss him over.