alled out of her slumber. Day had broken bright and cool.
The sun was still below the eastern crags. Ambrose, with several other
cowboys, had brought up buckets of spring-water, and hot coffee and
cakes. Madeline's party appeared to be none the worse for the night's
experience. Indeed, the meager breakfast might have been as merrily
partaken of as it was hungrily had not Ambrose enjoined silence.

"They're expectin' company down below," he said.

This information and the summary manner in which the cowboys soon led
the party higher up among the ruined shelves of rock caused a recurrence
of anxiety. Madeline insisted on not going beyond a projection of
cliff from which she could see directly down into the camp. As the
vantage-point was one affording concealment, Ambrose consented, but
he placed the frightened Christine near Madeline and remained there
himself.

"Ambrose, do you really think the guerrillas will come?" asked Madeline.

"Sure. We know. Nels just rode in and said they were on their way up.
Miss Hammond, can I trust you? You won't let out a squeal if there's a
fight down there? Stewart told me to hide you out of sight or keep you
from lookin'."

"I promise not to make any noise," replied Madeline. Madeline arranged
her coat so that she could lie upon it, and settled down to wait
developments. There came a slight rattling of stones in the rear. She
turned to see Helen sliding down a bank with a perplexed and troubled
cowboy. Helen came stooping low to where Madeline lay and said: "I am
going to see what happens, if I die in the attempt! I can stand it
if you can." She was pale and big-eyed. Ambrose promptly swore at the
cowboy who had let her get away from him. "Take a half-hitch on her
yourself an' see where you end up," replied the fellow, and disappeared
in the jumble of rocks. Ambrose, finding words useless, sternly and
heroically prepared to carry Helen back to the others. He laid hold of
her. In a fury, with eyes blazing, Helen whispered:

"Let go of me! Majesty, what does this fool mean?"

Madeline laughed. She knew Helen, and had marked the whisper, when
ordinarily Helen would have spoken imperiously, and not low. Madeline
explained to her the exigency of the situation. "I might run, but I'll
never scream," said Helen. With that Ambrose had to be content to let
her stay. However, he found her a place somewhat farther back from
Madeline's position, where he said there was less danger of her being