somebody, sure. Look, Mr. Harvey, ain't that two of their fellows
scudding away westward out there?"

Surely enough. In the glare of the burning sheds the besieged caught a
glimpse of two of the gang bending low in their saddles a hundred
yards away and scudding like hounds over towards the open plain.

"Is it rescue? Are our people coming?" was the query that rose to
every lip. "God grant it!"

Heavens, how hearts were beating! How ears were straining underneath
that now blazing roof! Louder, fiercer soared the flames; furious
became the snapping of sun-baked branch and twig; stifling and thick
the smoke.

"Quick! Come here for a breath of air," called Harvey to his sisters.
"It's safe for a moment, at least." And instantly they joined him at
the door-way, still clinging close to the floor.

Listen! Hoofs! The thunder of galloping steeds! A distant cheer! A
soldierly voice in hoarse command,--

"Steady, steady there! Keep together, men!"

"God be praised!" screamed Feeny, in ecstasy. "Look up, major; look
up, sir. We're all safe now. Here come the boys. Hurroo!" And mad with
relief and delight, the sergeant sprang from his lair just as a tall
trooper in the Union blue shot into sight in the full glare of the
flames, sprang from his foaming steed, waving his hat and yelling,--

"All right! All safe, lads! Here we are!"

Down went Harvey's rifle as he leaped out into the blessed air to
greet the coming host. Down went Feeny's carbine as, with outstretched
hand, he sprang to grasp his comrade trooper's. With rush and thunder
of hoofs a band of horsemen came tearing up to the spot just as Feeny
reached their leader,--reached him and went down to earth, stunned,
senseless from a crashing blow, even as Ned Harvey, his legs jerked
from under him by the sudden clip of rawhide lariat, was dragged at
racing speed out over the plain, bumping over stick and stone, tearing
through cactus, screaming with rage and pain, until finally battered
into oblivion, the last sound that fell upon his ear was the shriek of
agony from his sisters' lips, telling him they were struggling in the
rude grasp of reckless and infuriated men.

VI.

Harvey could not long have lain unconscious. No bones were broken, no
severe concussion sustained in the rapid drag over the sandy surface,
and the awful sense of the calamity that had befallen him and the
dread and doubt as to the fate of his beloved ones seemed to rally his
stunned an