she remained with
those that were so near and dear to her.

"Them varmints are gettin' pow'rful sassy," was the comment of Hastings,
who, now that the truth was known, seemed to lose all the excitement he
had first shown. "You don't think the gal was mistook?"

"I am sure she was not."

"So am I; stay right here where you be, while I look around for that
varmint; keep a lookout yourself, for he may try to sneak out this way."

"All I want is a chance at him."

"That's right--helloa!"

It so happened that Jim Deane, fully recovered from the effects of the
rattlesnake antidote he had taken earlier in the evening, was on guard
at a point almost opposite where Agnes Altman had made her alarming
discovery. Instead of being sheltered by boulders and rocks, he had lain
down behind some branches and logs, which he himself had helped place in
position weeks before, when he and his companions were caught in their
desperate straits.

Stretched at full length upon his face, with one hand grasping the
barrel of his rifle in front and hearing nothing, he felt something
softly touch his foot. The ranger did not speak or move a limb, but with
rare cleverness, suspected the astonishing truth; one of the Shawanoe
had entered the fort and was making a tour of inspection. The miscreant
would offer harm to no one until he had gathered the knowledge he
sought. Then he doubtless meant to deal some swift, terrible blows with
his knife, and make off before anything could be done in the way of
punishment.

The ranger turned his head and peered over his shoulder behind him.
Lying flat on the ground, while the one that had touched him was on his
feet, the advantage was with the white man. The almost impalpable
outlines of a crouching figure that had paused upon touching his foot
was revealed, and all doubt vanished from the mind of Deane.

His posture, as will be perceived, was an awkward one compared with that
of the Shawanoe. It was necessary for the white man to change it before
he could assume the offensive, and during the making of that change was
the time for the hostile to get in his effective work.

The possibility of his doing so caused no hesitation on the part of Jim
Deane. He flirted himself upon his back, snapped his feet beneath his
body, and came to a standing position in a twinkling. In the act of
doing so, he cocked his rifle.

The click of the hammer warned the intruder of his danger. His situation
was not one in w