ey
are human beings with hearts of beasts. They are Danites, and they are
creeping like panthers upon their victim, the boy you call Walter
Clyde."

CHAPTER XXII.

PROFESSOR SCUDMORE RETURNS.

"We must aid him!" cried Frank.

"Thot's right," agreed Barney.

"It's too late," declared Old Solitary.

"Too late--why?"

"Long before we can get down into the valley the boy will be killed or
captured."

"And must we remain idle and witness the butchery? It is terrible! I
feel that I must do something."

"An' Oi fale th' soame, Frankie, me b'y."

"Look again," directed the strange man of the mountains. "The boy has
discovered his enemies. See--he has leaped behind some rocks! Graves is
with him. The man is playing his part still. It must be that the boy has
called on his enemies to halt. They are hiding. See there! one of them
is preparing to shoot at the boy. Watch! The boy will be killed! No, he
has changed his position. The man fired too late."

Frank and Barney were intensely excited as they watched what was taking
place in the canyon. Clyde, after leaping to the shelter of the rocks,
had changed his position just in time to save himself from being shot.
One of the Danites took careful aim, a puff of smoke shot from the
muzzle of his rifle, and, some time later, the report of the weapon
reached the ears of the trio at the mouth of the cave.

But Providence must have watched over Walter Clyde then, for the boy
moved a moment before the rifle sent forth its dead messenger, and he
escaped the bullet. Whirling swiftly, he brought the butt of his rifle
to his shoulder, and fired straight into the midst of the puff of smoke.

"Hurro!" shouted Barney.

"He nailed the wretch!" cried Frank, with satisfaction.

It was true, Clyde's bullet knocked the man over in a twinkling, and he
lay writhing amid the rocks.

"He is a brave boy," muttered Old Solitary. "It is a pity he cannot
escape! He is but one of hundreds of brave hearts butchered by the
Danites."

There was a lull far across the canyon.

"What is coming now?" speculated Frank. "The Danites seem dazed."

"Look, and you shall see what is coming," said Old Solitary, his fingers
again closing on our hero's arm. "You can see Clyde's companion, the
treacherous Graves. Watch; ah! I knew it!"

Graves was seen to rise behind Clyde, uplift some weapon in his hand,
and strike the boy prostrate.

Then, with a yell that faintly reached the ears of the w