e. "They've fired the prairie.
The wind is blowin' toward us. They mean to smoke us out."

"Yes."

"We'll be driven down into the open bed of the river where they can pick
us off."

The girl nodded.

"Now, will you leave us?" Billie turned on her triumphantly. He could at
least choose the conditions of the last stand they must make. "They've
called our bluff. It's a showdown."

"Now I'll go less than ever," she said quietly.

Chapter XVI

Three Modern Musketeers

The fierce crackling of the flames rolled toward them. The wind served at
least the one purpose of lifting the smoke so that it did not stifle
those on the river-bank. Clanton crept up from the cave and joined them.

"Looks like we're goin' out with fireworks, Billie," he grinned.

"That's nonsense," said Lee sharply. "There's a way of escape, if only we
can find it."

"Blamed if I see it," the young fellow answered. As he looked at her the
eyes in his pale face glowed. "But I see one thing. You're the best
little pilgrim that ever I met up with."

The heat of the flames came to them in waves.

"You walk out, climb on yore horse, an' ride down the river, Miss Lee.
Then we'll make a break for cover. You can't do anything more for us,"
insisted Prince.

"That's right," agreed the younger man. "We'll play this out alone. You
cut yore stick an' drift. If we git through I'll sure come back an' thank
you proper some day."

Recently Lee had read "The Three Musketeers." From it there flashed to
her a memory of the picture on the cover.

"I know what we'll do," she said, coughing from a swallow of smoke. She
stepped between them and tucked an arm under the elbow of each. "All
for one, and one for all. Forward march!"

They moved down the embankment side by side to the sand-bed close to the
stream, each of the three carrying a rifle tucked close to the side. From
the chaparral keen eyes watched them, covering every step they took with
ready weapons. Miss Lee's party turned to the right and followed the
river-bed in the direction of Los Portales. For the wind was driving the
fire down instead of up. Those in the mesquite held a parallel course to
cut off any chance of escape.

Some change of wind currents swept the smoke toward them in great
billows. It enveloped the fugitives in a dense cloud.

"Get yore head down to the water," Billie called into the ear of the
girl.

They lay on the rocks in the shallow water and let the black smoke w