. There was a series of
short, fierce shouts. Torches were suddenly waved in the air. Many
horses neighed in the wildest terror and, all of them breaking through
the forest and windrows, poured in a confused and frightened stream
toward the entrance of the valley.

Then the experience of the sergeant in wild Indian warfare was worth
more than gold and diamonds. He knew at once what was occurring and he
shouted:

"It's a stampede! There have been traitors here, and they've driven the
horses with fire!"

"And maybe some of them have managed to slip down the mountain side!"
said Shepard.

It was well for them all that they were men of decision and supreme
courage. The terrible tumult in the valley was increasing. The horses,
a stampeded mass, were driving directly for the entrance. Only one thing
could stop them and that the guards then did. They snatched many burning
brands from the nearest fire and waved them furiously in the face of the
frightened herd, which turned and ran back the other way, only to be
confronted by other waving brands that filled them with terror. Then the
horses, instinctively following some leader, turned again and ran back
to their old places among the trees and behind the windrows, where they
stood, quivering with terror.

A crackling of rifles had begun before the horses were driven back,
and bullets pattered in the valley. Dark figures appeared crouched
against the slopes, and jets of fire ran like a red ribbon upon the white
of the snow.

"The gorillers!" cried Reed. "They've crep' over the ridges, spite uv
all our watchin'."

Colonel Winchester did not lose his head for an instant, nor did any
of his young soldiers, who had been trained to think as well as obey.
Without waiting for orders they had already won an important victory by
turning the horses back with fire, and the colonel, with the help of his
officers, formed them rapidly to meet the attack. The house, the stable
and the corn crib were filled with sharpshooters and others lay down
among the trees or behind any shelter they could find. A number were
detailed rapidly to tether the horses, and make them secure against a
second fright. Warner was sent to the men guarding the entrance,
Pennington to those at the exit, while Dick was kept with the colonel,
who crouched, after his arrangements were made, in a little clump of
trees near the center of the valley.

Colonel Winchester was willing enough to risk his