unning figure.

As an answer there came the third flash, the bullet striking the trail in
front of them. And then the fourth flash, from a point a hundred yards
to the left of the other.

"That's Number Two," muttered Lee. "They've got us in the open,
Judith. Let's beat it back to the cabin."

"I'm with you," said Judith, between shots. "It's just
foolishness" . . . _bang_! . . . "sticking out here" . . . _bang_! . . .
"for them to pop us off." _Bang_! _Bang_!

They ran then, Bud slipping in front of her, his tall body looming darkly
between her and the cliffs whence the shots came. He slid along the
sharp slope to the plateau, putting out his arms toward her. And as she
came down, Bud Lee grunted and cursed under his breath. For there had
been another flash out of the thickening night, this one from the refuge
toward which they were running. A third man was shooting from the
shelter of the cabin walls. And Lee had felt a stinging pain as though a
hot iron had scorched its way along the side of his leg.

"Hurt much?" asked Judith quickly. Without waiting for an answer, she
pumped two shots at the flash by the cabin.

"No," grunted Lee. "Just scared. And now what? I want to know."

XI

IN THE OLD CABIN

Bud Lee, in the thicker darkness lying along the edge of the plateau,
sat with his back against the rocks while he gave swift first aid to
his wound. He brought into requisition the knotted handkerchief from
about his throat, bound it tightly around the calf of his leg, and said
lightly to Judith:

"Just a fool scratch, you know. But I've no hankering to dribble out a
lot of blood from it."

Judith made no answer. Lee took up his rifle and turned to the spot
where she had been standing a moment ago. She was not there.

"Gone!" he grunted, frowning into the blackness hemming him in. "Now,
what do you suppose she's up to? Fainted, most likely."

He got up and moved along the low rock wall, seeking her. A spurt of
flame from the east corner of the cabin drew his eyes away from his
search and he pumped three quick shots in answer.

"Little chance of hitting anything," he muttered. "Too blamed dark.
Just fool's luck that I got mine in the leg."

Again he sought Judith, calling softly. There was no answer. Once
more came the spurt of flame from the shelter of the cabin wall. Then
fifty yards off to Lee's right, some fifty yards nearer the cabin,
another shot.

The first su