hate stood out of a yellow pallor.

"Trapped."

It was his last word to her. He swept the girl back against the shelter of
the wall and ran crouching toward the entrance.

A bullet zipped--a second--a third. He stumbled, but did not fall.
Turning, he came back, dodging like a hunted fox. As he passed her,
Melissy saw that his face was ghastly. He ran with a limp.

A second time she heard the cackle of laughter. Guns cracked. Still the
doomed man pushed forward. He went down, struck in the body, but dragged
himself to his feet and staggered on.

All this time he had seen nobody at whom he could fire. Not a shot had
come from his revolver. He sank behind a rock for shelter. The ping of a
bullet on the shale beside him brought the tortured man to his feet. He
looked wildly about him, the moon shining on his bare head, and plunged up
the canyon.

And now it appeared his unseen tormentors were afraid he might escape
them. Half a dozen shots came close together. Boone sank to the ground,
writhed like a crushed worm, and twisted over so that his face was to the
moonlight.

Melissy ran forward and knelt beside him.

"They've got me ... in half a dozen places.... I'm going fast."

"Oh, no ... no," the girl protested.

"Yep.... Surest thing you know.... I did you dirt onct, girl. And I've
been a bad lot--a wolf, a killer."

"Never mind that now. You died to save me. Always I'll remember that."

"Onct you 'most loved me.... But it wouldn't have done. I'm a wolf and
you're a little white lamb. Is Flatray the man?"

"Yes."

"Thought so. Well, he's square. I rigged it up on him about the rustling.
I was the man you liked to 'a' caught that day years ago."

"You!"

"Yep." He broke off abruptly. "I'm going, girl.... It's gittin' black.
Hold my hand till--till----"

He gave a shudder and seemed to fall together. He was dead.

Melissy heard the sound of rubble slipping. Some one was lowering himself
cautiously down the side of the canyon. A man dropped to the wash and
strutted toward her. He kept his eyes fixed on the lifeless form, rifle
ready for action at an instant's notice. When he reached his victim he
pushed the body with his foot, made sure of no trap, and relaxed his
alertness.

"Dead as a hammer."

The man was MacQueen. He turned to Melissy and nodded jauntily.

"Good evening, my dear. Just taking a little stroll?" he asked
ironically.

The girl leaned against the cold wall and covered her face wit