d without further trouble. Meanwhile,
Nels and Nick had lifted Helen into her saddle.

"We'll take the side trail," said Stewart, shortly, as he swung upon
the big black. Then he led the way, and the other cowboys trotted in the
rear.

It was only a short distance to the rim of the mesa, and when Madeline
saw the steep trail, narrow and choked with weathered stone, she felt
that her guests would certainly flinch.

"That's a jolly bad course," observed Castleton.

The women appeared to be speechless.

Stewart checked his horse at the deep cut where the trail started down.

"Boys, drop over, and go slow," he said, dismounting. "Flo, you follow.
Now, ladies, let your horses loose and hold on. Lean forward and hang to
the pommel. It looks bad. But the horses are used to such trails."

Helen followed closely after Florence; Mrs. Beck went next, and then
Edith Wayne. Dorothy's horse balked.

"I'm not so--so frightened," said Dorothy. "If only he would behave!"

She began to urge him into the trail, making him rear, when Stewart
grasped the bit and jerked the horse down.

"Put your foot in my stirrup," said Stewart. "We can't waste time."

He lifted her upon his horse and started him down over the rim.

"Go on, Miss Hammond. I'll have to lead this nag down. It'll save time."

Then Madeline attended to the business of getting down herself. It was a
loose trail. The weathered slopes seemed to slide under the feet of the
horses. Dust-clouds formed; rocks rolled and rattled down; cactus spikes
tore at horse and rider. Mrs. Beck broke into laughter, and there was
a note in it that suggested hysteria. Once or twice Dorothy murmured
plaintively. Half the time Madeline could not distinguish those ahead
through the yellow dust. It was dry and made her cough. The horses
snorted. She heared Stewart close behind, starting little avalanches
that kept rolling on Majesty's fetlocks. She feared his legs might be
cut or bruised, for some of the stones cracked by and went rattling down
the slope. At length the clouds of dust thinned and Madeline saw the
others before her ride out upon a level. Soon she was down, and Stewart
also.

Here there was a delay, occasioned by Stewart changing Dorothy from his
horse to her own. This struck Madeline as being singular, and made her
thoughtful. In fact, the alert, quiet manner of all the cowboys was not
reassuring. As they resumed the ride it was noticeable that Nels and
Nick were far in ad