in the darkness and striving to lead his
boon companion, whom he could not drive, up to some dark object lying
on the plain. This, too, failed. A low whistle, however, brought one
of the other scouts trotting in to the rescue.

"Hold him a minute, Burke," said the corporal, handing up the reins.
"There's something out here this brute shied at and I can't get him
near it again." With that he pushed out to the front while the others
listened expectant. A moment later a match was struck, and presently
burned brightly in the black and breathless night. Then came the
startled cry,--

"My God! lieutenant. It's Corporal Donovan and his horse,--both dead."

And even there Mr. Drummond noted that Bland was about the first of
the column to come hurrying forward to the scene.

Ten minutes' investigation threw but little light upon the tragedy.
Some stumps of candles were found in the saddle-bags and packs, and
with these the men scoured the plain for signs. Spreading well out
from the centre, they closely examined the sandy level. From the north
came the trail of two cavalry horses, shod alike, both at the lope,
both draggy and weary. From the point where lay Donovan and his steed
there was but one horse-track. Whirling sharply around, the rider had
sent his mount at thundering gallop back across the valley; then a
hundred yards away, in long curve, had reined him to the southeast.
The troopers who followed the hoof-marks out about an eighth of a mile
declared that, unwounded, both horse and rider were making the best of
their way towards Moreno's ranch. Farther search, not fifty yards to
the front, revealed the fact that at the edge of a little depression
and behind some cactus-bushes three human forms had been lying prone,
and from this point probably had sped the deadly bullet.

"Apaches, by God!" muttered one of the men.

"Apaches, your grandmother!" was the sergeant's fierce reply. "Will
you never learn sense, Moore? When did Apaches take to wearing store
clothes and heeled boots? There's no Apache in this, lieutenant. Look
here, sir, and here. Move out farther, some of you fellows, and see
where they hid their horses. Corporal Donovan was with 'C' troop down
the Gila last week, sir. They were to meet and escort the paymaster
most like. It's my belief he was one of the guard, and that the
ambulance has been jumped this very night. These are road agents, not
Apaches, and God knows what's happened if they've got away with