re only three left. Come,
Aggie," she said cheerfully--"to work! We have made a good beginning."

It is with modesty that I approach that night's events, remembering
always that Tish's was the brain which conceived and carried out the
affair. We were but her loyal and eager assistants. It is for this
reason that I thought, and still think, that the money should have been
divided so as to give Tish the lion's share. But she, dear, magnanimous
soul, refused even to hear of such a course, and insisted that we share
it equally.

Of that, however, more anon.

We next proceeded to capture their horses and to tie them up. We
regretted the necessity for this, since the unfortunate animals had
traveled far and were doubtless hungry. It went to my heart to drag them
from their fragrant pasture and to tie them to trees. But, as Tish said,
"Necessity knows no law," not even kindness. So we tied them up. Not,
however, until we had moved them far from the trail.

Tish stopped then, and stared across the canon to the enemy's camp-fire.

"No quarter, remember," she said. "And bring your weapons."

We grasped our wooden revolvers and, with Tish leading, started for the
camp. Unluckily there was a stream between us, and it was necessary to
ford it. It shows Tish's true generalship that, instead of removing her
shoes and stockings, as Aggie and I were about to do, she suggested
getting our horses and riding across. This we did, and alighted on the
other side dryshod.

It was, on consulting my watch, nine o'clock and very dark. A few drops
of rain began to fall also, and the distant camp-fire was burning low.
Tish gave us each a little blackberry cordial, for fear of dampness, and
took some herself. The mild glow which followed was very comforting.

It was Tish, naturally, who went forward to reconnoiter. She returned in
an hour, to report that the three men were lying round the fire, two
asleep and one leaning on his elbow with a revolver handy. She did not
see Mr. Oliver, and it was possible that it was he we had tied to the
tree. The girl, she said, was sitting on a log, with her chin propped in
her hands.

"She looked rather low-spirited," Tish said. "I expect she liked the
first young man better than she thought she did. I intend to give her a
piece of my mind as soon as I get a chance. This playing hot and cold
isn't maidenly, to say the least."

We now moved slowly forward, after tying our horses. Toward the last,
follow