awhile and
then disappeared. Mother has written me time and again to find him or
find out what has become of him, and I promised I would leave no stone
unturned. Tell her I have kept my word. Tell her I found him. But tell
her for God's sake to think no more of him. Tell her not to strive to
find him or to ask what he is or even where he is beyond that he has
gone to Sonora."

"Lieutenant," said Patterson, suddenly appearing at the opening,
"could you step here a moment?"

Drummond springs up.

"One moment, Mr. Drummond," whispers Wing, weakly; "I must say one
word to you--alone."

"I'll return in a minute, sergeant. Let me see what Patterson wants."

Miss Harvey and Ruth have risen; the former is very pale and evidently
trembling under some strong emotion. Once more she bends over him.

"Drink this, Mr. Wing, and now talk no more than you absolutely have
to."

Then renewing the cooling bandage on his forehead, her hands seem to
linger--surely her eyes do--as she rises once more to her feet.

Meantime the lieutenant has stepped out into the canon.

"What is it, Patterson? quick!"

"That was some of our fellows, sir, a squad of four; but they turned
all of a sudden and galloped back out of sight. It looks to me as
though they were attacked."

"How far away were they? How many miles down the desert?"

"Oh, at least six or eight miles down, sir; down beyond where you met
them yesterday."

"How about our trail? Anybody in sight there?"

"Nobody, sir, not even a thing, not even a whiff of dust."

"Very well. Keep on the alert. It's good to know that all the Apaches
are not around us yet. Neither bullet nor arrow can get down here so
long as we man the rocks above. I'll be out in a moment."

Then once more he kneels by Wing.

"Lieutenant, did you ever see a girl behave with greater bravery? Do
you know what she has undergone?--Miss Harvey, I mean?"

"Both are behaving like heroines, Wing, and I think I am beginning to
see through this plot at last."

"Never let mother know it,--promise me, sir,--but when Harvey
discharged him--my uncle, I mean--he swore he'd be revenged on the old
man, and 'twas he----"

"The double-dyed villain! I know, I understand now, Wing; you needn't
tell me. He has been in the pay of the Morales gang for months. He
enlisted so as to learn all the movements of officers and
scouting-parties. He enlisted under his benefactor's name. He has
forged that, too, in all probability, a