ve him a
little shake. He awoke instantly.

"Hello!" I said, "Want a drink?"

"Water or champagne?" he inquired.

I stared at him. "I've some champagne behind the rocks," I added.

"Water, you locoed son of a gun!"

He looked about as thirsty as a desert coyote; also, he looked flighty.
I was reaching for the canteen when I happened to think what pleasure it
would be to Miss Sampson to minister to him, and I drew back. "Wait a
little." Then with an effort I plunged. "Vaughn, listen. Miss Sampson
and Sally are here."

I thought he was going to jump up, he started so violently, and I
pressed him back.

"She--Why, she's been here all the time--Russ, you haven't
double-crossed me?"

"Steele!" I exclaimed. He was certainly out of his head.

"Pure accident, old man."

He appeared to be half stunned, yet an eager, strange, haunting look
shone in his eyes. "Fool!" he exclaimed.

"Can't you make the ordeal easier for her?" I asked.

"This'll be hard on Diane. She's got to be told things!"

"Ah!" breathed Steele, sinking back. "Make it easier for her--Russ,
you're a damned schemer. You have given me the double-cross. You have
and she's going to."

"We're in bad, both of us," I replied thickly. "I've ideas, crazy enough
maybe. I'm between the devil and the deep sea, I tell you. I'm about
ready to show yellow. All the same, I say, see Miss Sampson and talk to
her, even if you can't talk straight."

"All right, Russ," he replied hurriedly. "But, God, man, don't I look a
sight! All this dirt and blood!"

"Well, old man, if she takes that bungled mug of yours in her lap, you
can be sure you're loved. You needn't jump out of your boots! Brace up
now, for I'm going to bring the girls." As I got up to go I heard him
groan. I went round behind the stones and found the girls. "Come on," I
said. "He's awake now, but a little queer. Feverish. He gets that way
sometimes. It won't last long." I led Miss Sampson and Sally back into
the shade of our little camp glade.

Steele had gotten worse all in a moment. Also, the fool had pulled the
bandage off his head; his wound had begun to bleed anew, and the flies
were paying no attention to his weak efforts to brush them away. His
head rolled as we reached his side, and his eyes were certainly wild and
wonderful and devouring enough. "Who's that?" he demanded.

"Easy there, old man," I replied. "I've brought the girls." Miss Sampson
shook like a leaf in the wind.

"So you've