The Desire of the Moth; and the Come On

ircle of fire flared through the night. John Wesley P

But he won't, I guess-they said his hidey-hole was right on top, and the shoulder of the hill will hide the fires from him. Probably asleep, anyhow, thinkin' he's safe. I slep' three hours this morni

ad no mercy on his horse. Ride as he might, those who followed had the inner circle; when he rounded the fires and struck the hill his start was perilously slight. While the footing was soft he urged the wearied ho

clouds. This made for Pringle's safety; it also made the

slow and painful at best; he was forced to search to left or right for broken places where he could climb. Bits of rock, dislodged by hi

closer together as they climbed. At last, stopped against a perpendicular wall ten feet high, he heard them creeping toward him from both sides, with a guarded "Coo-ee!" each to the other; John Wesley slipped down the hill to the nearest bush. His neighbors came together and held a whispered discourse. They viewed the barrier with ma

left, more swiftly. Time for caution had passed; moonlight might betray him. When he found a

crest. Pringle bore obliquely up to the right. Speed was his best safety now; he pushed on boldly, cheered by the thought that if seen by any o

ough these Pringle breasted his way, seeking even more to protect himself from above than from below, forced at times to crawl through an open space exposed

was yet to come. Foy would ask no questions of any prowler, that was sure; he would reason that a friend

ll upon the cliff. He had little trouble in that ruin of broken stone to find cover fro

ftly as he crawled. "It'

he Major had said-the upper entrance of the cave came out on the highest crest of the hill. He turned back to retrace his p

rilous way. Cold sweat stood on his brow. If Foy or a foe of Foy were on the cliff now, how easy to topple down a stone upon him! The absolute stillness was

lit opened in the wal

had de

. He raised his voice a little louder. "F

e answered fr

should be dreadfully vexed if you were deceiving me. The voice is the

le, "if I wasn't reasonably sure that a rifle shot would promptly mar the classic outlines of my face. They're all around you, Foy. Ha

y when Pringle reached the roc

gry, sleepy and cross-and there's thirty feet in the open between here and you, and it nearly broad daylight. If I try to cross that I'll run twenty-five hundred pounds to the ton, pure lead. Well, we can put up

. They'll give you shelter to cross the ridge into a deep ravine that leads here where I am. You'll be out of sight all the way up once you hit the ravine. I'd-I'd worm along pretty spry if I was you, going down as far as the scrub oak-say, about as swift as a rattlesnake strikes-

!" said

backward and

e writhed under the

s sleep in coils after this-always suppo

d Foy, leading the wa

. If we've got to die

wled out of sight under the low branches of a stunted ce

my way, feeling the wall. Watch y

t for scattered rocks; it rose and dipped,

of you-the best ever!" said Foy as they mounted. "But you can't do me

I always like to fi

ey've got to do is to sit tight till we starve out for water. Wish you was out of it. It's going to be tough on Stel

Bar Cross buddies to butt in, I believe. Reckon your

ff! How'd you get aw

t remember,"

was

ed, Applegate is. Ouch! There we

me up about two hours ago, and I

I had to step lively.

some hack. But they won't. It's good-by, vain world, for ours! Say, in case a mira

ng on my finger.

tle. I'll do as much for you sometime. I'm thinki

aped plat of earth a few feet across, enclosed by an irregular oval made by great blocks of stone, man-high. Below, a succession of little clif

miled Foy with a propri

siness, isn't it? Make

bout." He bent to peer

e announced. He leane

et's have a look

his head struck heavily against the sharp corner of a rock. Pringle pounced on the stricken man. He threw Foy's sixshoo

ngle hastily bound his handkerchief to the gash the stone had made; he sprinkled the blood-st

he rifle muzzle and waved

! I've got Foy! It's me-Pringle! Come get

monkey business!" answered a sta

Nueces? Give me your wo

se-he's hurt,

e will. I give my wo

e rocks, bearing Foy's heavy weight in his arms. The head hung helpless, blood-spattere

his burden

e tied-are you still afraid of him? D