a little later a bullet
would fly that would find one of them, and they took the chance for the
sake of the American girl who lay hidden somewhere in these hills, for
in no other way could they locate her hiding place more quickly. Any one
of the other eight Americans who rode in pairs into the hills at other
points to the left and right of Billy Byrne and his companion would
have and was even then cheerfully taking the same chances that Eddie and
Billy took, only the latter were now assured that to one of them would
fall the sacrifice, for as they had come closer Eddie had seen a thin
wreath of smoke rising from among the trees of the oasis. Now, indeed,
were they sure that they had chanced upon the trail to the Piman
village.

"We gotta keep our eyes peeled," said Eddie, as they wound into a ravine
which from its location evidently led directly up to the village. "We
ain't far from 'em now, an' if they get us they'll get us about here."

As though to punctuate his speech with the final period a rifle cracked
above them. Eddie jumped spasmodically and clutched his breast.

"I'm hit," he said, quite unemotionally.

Billy Byrne's revolver had answered the shot from above them, the bullet
striking where Billy had seen a puff of smoke following the rifle shot.
Then Billy turned toward Eddie.

"Hit bad?" he asked.

"Yep, I guess so," said Eddie. "What'll we do? Hide up here, or ride
back after the others?"

Another shot rang out above them, although Billy had been watching for
a target at which to shoot again--a target which he had been positive he
would get when the man rose to fire again. And Billy did see the fellow
at last--a few paces from where he had first fired; but not until the
other had dropped Eddie's horse beneath him. Byrne fired again, and this
time he had the satisfaction of seeing a brown body rise, struggle a
moment, and then roll over once upon the grass before it came to rest.

"I reckon we'll stay here," said Billy, looking ruefully at Eddie's
horse.

Eddie rose and as he did so he staggered and grew very white. Billy
dismounted and ran forward, putting an arm about him. Another shot came
from above and Billy Byrne's pony grunted and collapsed.

"Hell!" exclaimed Byrne. "We gotta get out of this," and lifting his
wounded comrade in his arms he ran for the shelter of the bluff from the
summit of which the snipers had fired upon them. Close in, hugging the
face of the perpendicular wall of tum