Evening star., 1901-07-20

seemed to fit her aquiline nose and tall
figure And If they knew that" she add
ed. softening with mischievous smile,
,-ey also knew. of course, that l was
protected by gallant stranger vouched
for by Mr.. Foster! No. she added with
a certain blind, devoted confidence, which
had never shown before, It's al right.
and by orders Mr.. Boyle and when
they're done their work they'll be back"
But Boyle's masculine common sense
was. perhaps, safer than Miss Cantre's
feminine faith and inherited discipline,
for in an instant he suddenly comprehend
ed the actual truth The Indians had been
there first; they had despoled the coach
and got of safe with their booty and pris-
oners on the approach of the escort-who
were now naturally pursuing them with a
fury aroused by the BELIEF that their COM
Hfander $ daughter was one of their pris-
oners- This conviction was dreadful one,
yet renef as far as the young girl was
concerned But should he tell her? No
Better that she should keep her calm faith
IN the triumphant promptness of the SOL
diers-and their speedy return.
Il dare say you are right he said cheer
fully. land let US be thankful that in the
empty coach you'll have at least half
civilized shelter until they return. Mean
time III go and reconnoiter a little"
Il WILL go with YOU" she said.
But Boyle pointed out to her so strongly
the necessity of her remaining to walt for
the return Of the soldiers that being also
tagged out by her hong climb, she obedt-
emily consented. while he even with his
inspiration Of the truth, did not believe in
the return OF the despoilers, and knew she
would be safe.
A few steps into the thicket brought
him full upon a realization of more than
his worst convictions-the dead body of
Foster. Near II lay the body of the mail
agent Both had been evidently dragged
into the thicket from where they fell.
scalped and half stripped. There was no
evidence Of any later struggle; they must
have been dead when they were brought
there.
Boyle was neither a hard hearted nor
an unduly sensitive man He was sorry
for these two men. and would have
fought to have saved them. But he had
no imaginative ideas of death His one
thought was of the unsuspecting girl sit
ting in the lonely coach, and he hurrIedIy
dragged the bodies further into the bushes
In doing this he discovered loaded re-
volver and flask of spirit, which had
been lying under them, and promptly Sc
cured them- lew PAGES away lay the
coveted trunk of arms and ammunition
their lids wrenchad off and their contents
gone he noticed with a grim smile that
his own trunk of samples had shared a like
rate. but was delighted to find that, while
the brighter trtfies had attracted the In
dians childish cupidity, they had over
looked heavy black merino shawl of a
cheap but serViceable quality 1t would
help to protect Miss Cantire from the even
Ing wind. which was already rising over
the chill and stark plain. 1t also occurred
to him that she would need water after her
parched Journey, and he resolved to look
Tor spring, being rewarded at last by a
trlckl1ng rill near the ambushed camp. But
ne had no utensil except the spirit flask
which he finally emptied of it's content q
and replaced with the pure water-a heroic
sacrlfce to a traveller who knew the COM
fcrt OF stimulaut. He retraced his steps
and was just emerging from the thicket
"hen his quick eye caught sight of a moy-
Ing shadow before him. close to the ground
which set the blood coursing through his
veins
1t was the figure of an Indian crawling
on his hands and knees toward the coach,
scarcely forty yards away For the first
NOR was overswept by a blind and furious
rage Yet even then he was sane enough
to remember that q pist oil shot would alarm
| the girl. and - keep that weapon as q last
resource or an instant he crept forward
| as sileELy and stealthily as the savage and
then. with sudden bound, leaped upon
him. driving his head and shoulders down
against the rocks before he could utter a
| cry. and sending the scalping knife he was
CARRYING between his teeth. flying with the
shock from his battered jaw. Boyle seized
ft-his knee still in the mans back-but
the prostrate body never moved beyond q
slight contraction OF the lower limbs. The
shock had broken the Indians neck. He
turned the inert man on his back-the head
hung loosely on the side. But in that
| brief instant Boyle had recognized the
| friendly Indian of the station to whom
he had given the card.
He rose dizzily to his feet. The whole
action had passed In q few seconds of
| time. and had not even been noticed by
| the sole occupant of the coach. He me-
! chanically cooked his revolver, but the