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Camp was made near water The bandits were a jovial lot, despite a

lack of food They talked of the morrow All--the world--lay beyond

the next sunrise Soht their rest

just to hurry on the day But Gulden, tireless, sleepless, eternally

vigilant, guarded the saddle of gold and brooded over it, and seeht And Blicky, nursing some

deep and late-developed scheme, perhaps in Kells's interest or his

own, kept watch over Gulden and all

Jim cautioned Joan to rest, and importuned her and proh her shut eyelids All the night see red when the cavalcade rode up Cabin Gulch The

grazing cattle stopped to watch and the horses pranced and whistled

There were flowers and flitting birds, and glistening dew on leaves,

and a shining swift floater--the brightness ofand

nature smiled in Cabin Gulch

Well indeed Joan remembered the trail she had ridden so often How

that clump of here first she had confronted Jiulch had a sense of home

in it for her, yet it was fearful How ht yet happen!

Then a clear, ringing call stirred her pulse She glanced up the

slope Tall and straight and dark, there on the bench, with hand

aloft, stood the bandit Kells