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lay outstretched in ghastly silence where they fell "Red" Watt, of

the "X L," would no e across the sun-kissed prairie,

while the stern old sergeant, still griht are-belt, and crept about sorely racked with pain, dragging a

shattered liave sudden

utterance to a sobbing cry, and a burst of red spurted across his white

beard as he reeled backward, knocking the girl prostrate when he fell

Eight remained, one helpless, one aof the third day

The beginning of the affair had burst upon them so suddenly that no two

in that stricken co

them had anticipated trouble; there were no runized hostile within the territory had

been duly reported as north of the Bear Water; not the vaguest

complaint had drifted into military headquarters for a month or more

In all the fancied security of unquestioned peace these chance

travellers had slowly toiled along the steep trail leading toward the

foothills, beneath the hot rays of the afternoon sun, their thoughts

afar, their steps lagging and careless Gillis and the girl, as well

as the two cattle-herders, were on horseback; the re to their shoulders Wyer, the latter a arrizzled of hair along the teray eyes He had introduced himself by the

name of Hampton, but had volunteered no further information, nor was it

customary in that country to question i as best suited themselves, all se been abandoned