ound, drove them back to shelter, and in the
next moment Blake heard it, and the girl, too, for like a frightened
fawn she darted away and went scurrying to the rear entrance of the
ranch, leaving him to confront and hail two horsemen, "Gringos,"
evidently, who came loping in on the Yuma trail, and at his voice the
foremost leaped from saddle and called:

"Is it Lieutenant Blake? We've come with dispatches, sir, from Yuma,"
and, unfastening his saddle-bag, the trooper placed a packet in the
officer's hand.

"Come this way," said Blake briefly, leading toward the light, and
inwardly bemoaning an ill-wind that had blown him far more good than he
dreamed. A few strides took him to the door of the ranch. The dispatches
were for the president of the late court at Camp Cooke, for Turnbull,
for Loring and for himself. Sending the courier to camp, he tore open
his order--a brief letter of instructions to furnish such escort as
might be deemed sufficient for the safe conduct of Lieutenant-Colonels
Vance and Turnbull to Tucson. Then he waited to hear from them. With
Sancho eagerly scanning their faces the two veterans had opened and read
their orders, then looked up at each other in evident surprise.
Presently they arose, and, begging their host to excuse them a moment
and beckoning Blake to follow, stepped into the lighted bar beyond.
Another court had been convened, another officer was to be tried, and
the two who had officiated as seniors at Camp Cooke were directed to
proceed at once to the old Mexican capital for similar duty there.

Before sunrise, escorted by a dozen troopers, Vance and Turnbull were on
their way, their farewell words to Blake being an injunction to see
Loring and his precious charges safe to Yuma City.

As long as he lived Gerald Blake was destined to remember the Saturday
that dawned upon them as the little party rode away south-eastward. Even
the men seemed oddly depressed. Neither to Turnbull, to Loring nor to
Blake had this detachment suggested itself as possible. What with having
to send a large portion of his command forward on the Yuma road so as to
provide comparatively fresh horsemen to accompany the stage with its
relays of mules, Blake found himself at reveille with just eighteen men
all told, awaiting the coming of that anxiously-expected vehicle. He
prayed that it might bring at least one or two officers from Grant or
Bowie. He vainly sought another peep at or word with Pancha; but,
thoug