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The wooded bench was level for a few hundred yards, and then it began to heave in rugged, rocky bulges up toward the Ri, but the latter part of the distance proved to be a hard cli and hot, she at length reached the base of the bluff, to find that it was not very high

The dog espied her before she saw hi, shaggy, grayish white and black, ild, keen face and eyes he assuredly looked the reputation Springer had accorded hiuarded as was his approach, he appeared friendly

"Hello--doggie!" panted Ellen "What's--wrong--up heah?"

He yelped, his ears lost their stiffness, his body sank a little, and his bushy tail wagged to and fro What a gray, clear, intelligent look he gave her! Then he trotted back

Ellen followed hi on his back Fresh earth and gravel lay about hi to his fall from above He had on neither coat nor hat, and the position of his body and liested broken bones As Ellen hurried to his side she saw that the front of his shirt, loas a bloody blotch But he could lift his head; his eyes were open; he was perfectly conscious Ellen did not recognize the dusty, skinned face, yet the ely fairl," he said, in faint voice of surprise

"Yes, I'm Ellen Jorth," she replied "An' are y'u Bill Isbel?"

"All thet's left of me But I'm thankin' God somebody come--even a Jorth"

Ellen knelt beside him and examined the wound in his abdomen A heavy bullet had indeed, as Colter had avowed, torn clear through his middle Even if he had not sustained other serious injury from the fall over the cliff, that terrible bullet wound meant death very shortly Ellen shuddered How inexplicable were men! How cruel, bloody, mindless!

"Isbel, I'm sorry--there's no hope," she said, low voiced "Y'u've not long to live I cain't help y'u God knows I'd do so if I could"

"All over!" he sighed, with his eyes looking beyond her "I reckon--I'lad But y'u can--do somethin' for orhis dusty head on her knee Her hands trembled as she brushed his wet hair back from his clammy brow