if they crossed their tracks.

No dream of fear for himself came to his mind, but how should he save
Master Joe? for he knew more than even old Timothy guessed of the
lawless and desperate characters among the mountains.

"Master Joe," said he, quickly, "would you mind changing with me a bit?
I'm lighter weight to carry, and I'll go on to let old Timothy know.
He'd be vexed not to be ready with his lantern."

[Illustration: "CONNY WENT SPINNING AWAY IN THE DUSK."]

Joe was quite ready for the exchange. It was many months since he had
tried the saddle, and an hour of it was quite enough to satisfy him; so
he settled back comfortably in the seat, while Conny went spinning away
in the dusk, as if old Prince had suddenly renewed his youth. They heard
the hoof-clicks on the hard road growing fainter in the distance, and
then the sharp ring of a rifle that woke a thousand echoes among the
hills.

Douglass started, but Joe laughed.

"Your banditti are putting in an appearance."

"Attacking an unfortunate rabbit, I suppose," said Douglass, bravely.

Neither of them guessed what had really happened. When Conny rode at
full speed into Hemlock Glen he had hardly a plan as to what he should
do, but the next instant a bullet struck him in the shoulder and almost
sent him from his horse. He caught the lines in his left hand, and
called in a clear but low voice to some invisible foe, "It's I, Conny
McConnell, and the lads in the buggy beyond are just Master Joe, the
doctor's son, coming home from college with a friend, just a laddie like
himsel'."

There was not a sound in response unless a dry twig may have cracked,
but Conny paced slowly along until Doll's quick feet brought her into
the Glen.

"Hullo, Conny!" called Master Joe, "did you hear a rifle-shot?"

"Yes, sir," said Conny; "there's a deal of game running these nights."

"What sort of game do you folks hunt with rifles up here?" asked
Douglass; but Conny did not answer, and in a few moments they came out
upon the open road, and saw the lights of Dunsmore about a mile before
them.

Old Timothy was on the look-out, and long before they reached the house
they saw his lantern moving about the barn.

"Here we are!" called Joe, throwing down the lines and springing out;
and in the happy confusion of the greetings no one looked at Conny,
until the doctor, taking his hand from the side of Prince, started to
see that it was stained with blood.

"What! Why, bless u