" Lieutenant, there's something coming out over our
trail."

" Thank God !" sighs "Wing, as he raises his eyes to
those of his fair nurse. "Thank Grod! for your



" Thank God, Guth !" cries Fanny, extending one
hand to her sister while the other is unaccountably de-



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FOES IN AMBUSH. 211

tained. " Thank God ! it's father and the Stonemaa
party and Doctor Gray/'

And Ruth, throwing herself upon her knees by her
sister's side, buries her head upon her shoulder and
sobs anew for very joy,

And then comes sudden start. All in an instant
there rings, echoing down the cafion, the sharp, spite-
ful crack of rifles, answered by shrieks of terror from
the cave where lie the Moreno women, and by other
shots out along the range. Three faces blanch with
sudden fear, though Wing looks instantly up to say, —

" They can't harm you, and our men will be here
in less than no time."

Out in the gorge men are springing to their feet and
seizing their ready arms; horses are snorting and
stamping ; mules braying in wild terror. Two of the
ambulance mules, breaking loose from their fastenings,
come charging down the resounding rock, nearly anni-
hilating Moreno, who, bound and helpless, praying and
cursing by turns, has rolled himself out of his nook
and lies squarely in the way of everything and every-
body. But above all the clamor, the ring of carbine,
the hiss and spat of lead flattening upon the rocks,
Drummond's voice is heard clear and commanding,
serene and confident.
*^ Every man to his post now. Remember your
orders."



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212 FOES IN AMBUSH.
