Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders on the Great American Desert

fired by Grace and her adversary. The guide had seen neither o

ment the man who had been shooting at Grace revealed him

econd shot he heard his man utter an exclamation and knew that he had scored a hit. For the next several minutes the two

le time, and when he did he crawled to one side and crept noiselessly around to the positi

sfied himself that his adversary was either wounded or had gone away. Finally, having searched all the surrounding

as no r

rying to recall where he had

n about where I a

vice that had been hidden by dwarf shrubs and mountain grass, and it seemed a long way to the bo

exclaimed.

The guide struck a match and peered down at Grace Harlowe, who lay face down at th

! I'll kill him for th

ace's heart, Hi Lang f

ck to meet the critter that did thi

nding that he could not make it without freeing one hand, he slipped an arm about Grace's waist, holding her w

ace, raised his revolver and fired three shots into the air, the signal of recall for Lieutenant Wingate. Then, gatheri

st outside of their camp, he

I've got M

stioned Elfreda more

shot, but

a finger on Grace's pulse and held it there until they reached the camp. Nora,

her!" aske

tried to kill P

terrible!"

the guide had placed her where the ligh

the wound that she found on Grace's head. Elfreda's hospital training during the war, in F

he announced after a critical ex

gunshot-" e

evere scalp wo

, then?" dema

she has fallen and bumped her head against th

rls drew long b

hat critter were shooting at each other when I came up, then all at once the shooting stopped. I got in a

g into her face, nodded encouragingly, and pla

must have struck hard, and it is a wonder she did not break her neck. You see how the neck is sw

t she was still dizzy and weak from the severe shoc

it!" was her first q

head. Mr. Lang, will you carry her to her tent? She must be quiet for the rest of the n

e morning. Here's the lieutenant," he added, as Hipp

Eyes knocked out a

d hurt herself,"

the shoo

on I touched him up too, and, getting enough of it, he cleared out. I'll get him for that," added Hi, gathering Grace up and carrying her to her tent. "To-

get a shot at him mys

scouting to be done this evening, the lieutenant and I

y no

hat you folks haven't any enemies!" asked Mr. Lang when the two ha

now of, in th

can't figure it out,

?" asked Hipp

They know better'n to c

one of them crossed your trail thi

for some moments thereafter occu

if I had any enemies.

G!

guide. One bullet passed between the two men, the oth

leaped to their feet, drawing their revolvers as they did so, and emptying them into

led Hippy, slipping another clip

uld he wish to shoot a woman? Crawl out to the left and then go in and let the folks know everything i

race Harlowe in her tent. "Go out,

ing the girls whe

l be glad to get on the desert. One can see such a long way there. Grace is anxious to

he is, and it would not be safe for either of us were we bot

t Wingate had to say, but he made no comment, and no son

e getting anxious, but Hippy said that, no shots having been

een lying flat on top of a rock, listening with every faculty on the alert. For t

an see my mark, is all I ask," he

nd returned to camp, on the alert every second of the way

s question as to whether or not he had discovere

. "I think she will be ready f

they passed a restless night, starting up at every sound, listening for the report of rifle or revolver or a call for help. Nothing disturbing occurred. Shortly after daylight,

ith a cook fire preparatory to getting breakfast, sho

said, caressing

een out looking for trail signs and finding some, though she could not

Lang strode into camp, his rifle slung und

with them once more, for, in the brief time he had known them, he had grown to feel a genuine affection for these bright-eyed, plucky young wome

have you been?"

" he answered briefly,

it?" asked G

ome chow. How you fee

ter he had begun e

und a trail, I take it," s

ght. I found blood where he was standing when you two were shooting at each other. I also

at put a hole through my perfe

tprints of one man on the other side of the range, but what became of the other fellow, I don't kn

should be movin

t rest you can to-day. Lieutenant, I wish you would

an protect ourselves. Do not wor

, put some grub in my

ut for a gallop and felt better for the change. At four o'clock Mr. Lang came in, and, though he had been up

our mess kits first. Follow the foothills and we will catch up with you. I g

tch him. I wish we knew why he is bothering us so," said Grace. "I should prefer to stay

eresting," obser

along slowly through the foothills of the range, where the going was fairly easy. The guide said they should come up with Ping before d

faster, but without much success. The ponies of the party then took the lead, which, Hi Lang said, would induce the burros to move faster

th the cool of the evening their spirits rose. Even Ping's spi

ew quality, a new odor. No longer could the girls hear the rustling of foliage. A great and impressive silence settled over them, in which even the fo

died away, and Ping Wing's song d

el queer, and my pony is trembling.

for she felt something of the same sensation th

haps it is the mystery of centuries; perhaps it is the spirits of the thousands who have perished here on this sweet, c

h could they have seen his face they would have observed a new and more tender expression there, and seen him