ong his veins with every beat of a laboring heart. Yet he could not
put any name to his feelings, except an awful, weakening fear which
weighted him heavier with every step he took.

Kaydessa screamed. Not this time in rage, but with such fervor that
Travis lost his hold, staggered back to the wall. She whirled about, her
face contorted, and sprang at him.

It was indeed like trying to fight a wildcat and after the first second
or two he was hard put to protect his eyes, his face, his side, without
injuring her in return. She scrambled over him, running for the break in
the wall, and disappeared. Travis gasped, and started to crawl for the
break. Eskelta loomed over him, pulled him up in haste.

They reached the opening but did not climb through. Travis was uncertain
as to whether he could make that descent yet, and Eskelta was obeying
orders in not venturing out too soon.

Below, the ground was bare. There was no sign of the Apaches, though
they were in hiding there--and none of Kaydessa. Travis was amazed that
she had vanished so quickly.

Still uneasy from the emanation within, they perched within the shadow
of the break until Travis thought that the fugitive had a good
five-minute start. Then he nodded a signal to Eskelta.

By the time they reached ground level Travis felt a warm wetness
spreading under his shielding palm and he knew the wound had opened. He
spoke a word or two in hot protest against that mishap, knowing it would
keep him from the trail. Kaydessa must be covered all the way back
across the pass, not only to be shepherded away from her people and
toward the plains where she could be picked up by a Red patrol, but also
to keep her from danger. And he had planned from the first to be one of
those shepherds.

Now he was about as much use as a trail-lame pony. However, he could
send deputies. He thought out his call, and Nalik'ideyu's head appeared
in a frame of bush.

"Go, both of you and run with her! Guard--!" He said the words in a
whisper, thought them with a fierce intensity as he centered his gaze on
the yellow eyes in the pointed coyote face. There was a feeling of
assent, and then the animal was gone. Travis sighed.

The Apache scouts were subtle and alert, but the coyotes could far outdo
any man. With Nalik'ideyu and Naginlta flanking her flight, Kaydessa
would be well guarded. She would probably never see her guards or know
that they were running protection for her.

"That was a go