r, he began to cough
up a reddish-tinged foam.

As they rode on, Jennie, with pale face and mute lips, looked at him.

"I'm badly hurt, Jennie," he said, "but I guess I'll stick it out."

"The woman--did she shoot you?"

"Yes. She was a devil. Euchre told me to look out for her. I wasn't
quick enough."

"You didn't have to--to--" shivered the girl.

"No! no!" he replied.

They did not stop climbing while Duane tore a scarf and made compresses,
which he bound tightly over his wounds. The fresh horses made fast
time up the rough trail. From open places Duane looked down. When they
surmounted the steep ascent and stood on top of the Rim Rock, with
no signs of pursuit down in the valley, and with the wild, broken
fastnesses before them, Duane turned to the girl and assured her that
they now had every chance of escape.

"But--your--wound!" she faltered, with dark, troubled eyes. "I see--the
blood--dripping from your back!"

"Jennie, I'll take a lot of killing," he said.

Then he became silent and attended to the uneven trail. He was aware
presently that he had not come into Bland's camp by this route. But
that did not matter; any trail leading out beyond the Rim Rock was safe
enough. What he wanted was to get far away into some wild retreat where
he could hide till he recovered from his wound. He seemed to feel a fire
inside his breast, and his throat burned so that it was necessary for
him to take a swallow of water every little while. He began to suffer
considerable pain, which increased as the hours went by and then gave
way to a numbness. From that time on he had need of his great strength
and endurance. Gradually he lost his steadiness and his keen sight; and
he realized that if he were to meet foes, or if pursuing outlaws should
come up with him, he could make only a poor stand. So he turned off on a
trail that appeared seldom traveled.

Soon after this move he became conscious of a further thickening of his
senses. He felt able to hold on to his saddle for a while longer, but he
was failing. Then he thought he ought to advise Jennie, so in case she
was left alone she would have some idea of what to do.

"Jennie, I'll give out soon," he said. "No-I don't mean--what you think.
But I'll drop soon. My strength's going. If I die--you ride back to
the main trail. Hide and rest by day. Ride at night. That trail goes
to water. I believe you could get across the Nueces, where some rancher
will take you in."

D