much companionship there is in a horse or dog that
you are fond of, especially if it has shared your trips and your
dangers. I know that Coyote was glad to see me by the way he followed me
with his head. The first part of my watch passed monotonously enough.
Most of the time one would have thought there was nothing of danger or
menace in the darkness below as far as sound went.

But I felt, though I could not see, the cruel presence of our enemies.
Once I caught the light of a fire down the valley a ways, in a sheltered
place and I could see occasionally the movement of a shadowy form. I
brought my rifle up, intending to fire. Then thought better of it.

What was the use? I had better have my ammunition, and then it would
simply arouse Jim up to no purpose. Sometime later I heard the guttural
sounds of the Indians as they talked.

I imagined that it came from the slope just below, so I went cautiously
down between the rocks. When I reached the lower end of the trail that
ended abruptly with a step off of several feet, I stopped, listening
intently, stooping down and peering into the rainy darkness of the slope
below.

I could make out a few boulders and further down the dark mass of pines.
As my eyes became accustomed to the contour of things, I was sure that
I saw a dark, crouching form moving over and among the rocks stealthily
as a snake.

It was not more than twenty-five yards off. I reached around among the
rocks at my feet until I found a stone about the size of the baseball
that I used to pitch in my old days at school.

As the object stopped and raised up in sudden suspicion I poised myself
and fired it with all my strength. My old accuracy had not deserted me.
I heard the thud distinctly and the Indian dropped like one dead, a mere
black outline on the rock.

Then I saw him being drawn backward almost as it were by invisible
hands. I decided not to fire, but crouched low in the rock trail. I did
not want to waste a shot, and then I thought the very quietness and
mystery of the fellow's injury might impress the superstitious minds of
the Apaches and I believe that it did, for I heard no further sound or
stir from them.

After a while I decided to go back to the head of the trail and I
proceeded cautiously upwards. Just before I reached the top I became
conscious that there was something waiting for me. Looking down I
recognized the long, familiar face of Coyote.

"Hey, old chap," I said, giving him a