Foes in Ambush

be abandoned, as Drummond explained, because here was a man who could not stand the journey. Surely there would not be many hours before the relief party from Stoneman, fo

ose, a burning, dazzling disk over the distant mountains to t

ow their prey to be puny and well-nigh defenceless, Apaches make no assault in the darkness, and so, with the coming of the dawn, he had about him fit for service a squad of seven troopers, most of them seasoned mountain fighters. His main anxiety now was for Wing, whose wound was severe, the bullet having gone clear through, just grazing the bone, and who, despite the fact that Fanny Harvey early in the night had every now and then crept noiselessly in to cool his fevered head, seemed strangely affected mentally, seemed unnaturally flighty and wandering, seemed oppressed or excited alternately in a way that baffled Drummond completely, for no explanation was plausible. Two or three times during the

rom his blanket after a refreshing sleep of nearly two hours and he and his faithful sentry we

r?" whispered Patterson. "This makes the second time

f he would use one if we had. He d

ss Harvey came in only a moment after I got to him. Could those devils poison a

so; but why did

' he called, and again-just

looking straight at his

Patterson,

. Moreno was edging about uneasily and b

dits to take care of. Nice time we'd have, sir, if the three of them was able to move. The boys'd make short work of them now, the way they're feel

consequence what name we put over their graves, the right set of fellows would be along a

to herself until one of the two-the live one, I should call him-hurled a curse at her in

, Patterson, all

shelter of the rocky cave c

other! if

king up the dim lantern which he had taken from the Harvey wagon, Dr

me. You must be in distress, mental or

er. Wing's face was hidden.

ase go and lie down again, sir; you're worse hurt than I am,-o

hing wrong, and it has all come on you sinc

away, burying hi

while we may have to keep up a field hospital here a day or two, my first duty will be to write and tell your mothe

a restrai

she must not

. Assured that his words could reach there no listening ears, Drummond returned, kneeling again by the sergeant's side. "Just think, man; any moment after daybreak the Apaches may be upon us, and, who knows? it may be my last fight. Of course I believe that our fellows can stand them off until

ful silence. At

I've got to think it over, lieutenant. Give m

ng to light up back of us here already. Yes, and the sentry's calling me now. I'll be

n the range now, though the light is dim, and what I take to be a signal-fire

ck as you can. I'll rouse the man who has slept longest. A

the trail on which they came, for the sight he has seen down the range, now brilliant in the morning light, has filled his heart with the first real dread it has yet known. In three places, not more than four or five miles apart

cky fortress and estimate the strength of the garrison. Great they well know it cannot be, for did not their keen eyes count nearly twenty chasing those hated brigands far down towards Sonora Pass, and of that number how many have returned?-only three. Did they not see the flurry and excitement when that sergeant w

fident, has had his men about him where none others could see or hear, has assigned them the stations which they are to take the instant of alarm, and has given them

anyth

ss from under his hat-brim, the Ir

ore sm

oke have I

t in blazes are

t the moment is again kneeling by Wing, who has but just awakened from a fitful sleep, Miss Harvey being the first to hear

t-back on the trail-of the

is lost in that tortuous ravine down which we rode on the chase. Walsh is up there on lookout, and I'll ask if

t it c

e it far to the south. We think it may be some of our fellows

contrasting strongly with the feeble accents o

help you' were words he spoke the last day of his life, and even then I noted how little comfort mother seemed to find in that fact. It was only a few months after father's death that Uncle Fred, from being an occasional visitor, came to living with us all the time, made his home there, though seldom within doors night or day. He was several years younger than mother. He was the youngest, it seems, of the family, 'the baby,' and had been petted and spoiled from earliest infancy. I soon found why he came. Mother was often in tears, Uncle Fred always begging or demanding money. The boys at school twitted me about my gambler uncle, though I've no doubt their fathers gambled as much as he. These were just before the early d

etter. Uncle Fred got a commission in a California regiment towards the close of the war and was sent down to Arizona. Then came more tears and trouble. I couldn't understand it all then, but I do now. Uncle Fred was gambling again, drawing on her for means to meet his losses. The old home went under the hammer, and we moved down to San Diego, where father had once invested and had left a little property. And then came the news that Uncle Fred had been dismissed, all on account of drink and gambling and misappropriation of funds. Miss Harvey knows all about this, lieutenant, for mother told her and had reason to. And next came forgery, and we were stranded. We heard that he had gone after that with a wagon-train to Texas. I got employment on a ranch, and then mother married again, married a man who had long befriended us and who could give her a comfortable home. She is now Mrs. Malcomb Bland, of San Francisco, and Mr. Bland offered to take me into his store, but I loved the open air and inde

ddenly appearing at the opening,

nd spr

whispers Wing, weakly; "I mu

e, sergeant. Let me see

s very pale and evidently trembling under som

nd now talk no more than

rehead, her hands seem to linger-surely her

enant has stepped

t, Patters

ut they turned all of a sudden and galloped back out o

they? How many mile

iles down, sir; down beyond

trail? Anybody

ven a thing, not ev

ches are not around us yet. Neither bullet nor arrow can get down

ore he knee

ve with greater bravery? Do you know what

Wing, and I think I am beginning

hen Harvey discharged him-my uncle, I mean-he swo

r his benefactor's name. He has forged that, too, in all probability, and then, deserting, it was he who sought to carry away these precious girls, and he came within an ace of succeeding. By the Eternal, but there will be a day

again averted. He is co

to pull away the nearest arm. "You need not try, you cannot conceal it now. I see it all,-all. Miss Harvey," he cries, looking up into the face of the trembling

s elbow, striving to restrain the lieutenant, who again has started to his fee

clinching teeth, "that there'll be no time for prayer i

l him in cold blood, lieute

the God of he

his couch his head is caught on Fanny Ha

sleeping child. "Hush! you must not speak again. I know how he

moment, a light step comes to his side, a little hand is laid on the bandaged arm, and R

an't you go and lie down and rest? What will we

is encircled by the strong arm in the dark-blue sleeve, and how can she see that she is drawn to his breast, since now her face is buried in both her hands and those hands in the flannel of his hunting-shirt,-just as high as his heart? Small wonder is it that Corporal Costigan, hurrying in at the mouth of the cave, stops short at sight of this picturesque partie carrée. Any other time he would have sense enough to face about and tiptoe whence he came, but now there's no room left for sentiment. Tableaux

s something coming

ses his eyes to those of his fair

sister while the other is unaccountably detained. "Thank

by her sister's side, buries her head up

crack of rifles, answered by shrieks of terror from the cave where lie the Moreno women, and by other

nd our men will be here

astenings, come charging down the resounding rock, nearly annihilating Moreno, who, bound and helpless, praying and cursing by turns, has rolled himself out of his nook and lies squarely in the way

s post now. Reme

raw himself to Walsh's side, sees him glancing eagerly over the rocks, then signalling to some one on their own side, pointing here and there along the wooded slope beyond her vision; sees him now, with fierce light in his eyes, suddenly clutch Walsh's sleeve and nod towards some invisible object to the south; sees Walsh toss the butt of his carbine to the shoulder a

ose are Apa