ck's voice
again?

"Thank God, little gal, I tho't you was sure dead."

In desperate haste she struggled to rise to her feet, but everything
seemed to rock and sway under her. And then, as Buck spoke again, she
abandoned her efforts.

"Quiet, little gal, lie you still, or I can't hold you. You're dead
safe fer the moment. I've got you. We're tryin' to git out o' this
hell, Caesar an' me. An' Caesar's sure doin' his best. Don't you worrit.
The Padre's behind, an' he's got your auntie safe."

Joan's mind had suddenly become quite clear. There was no longer any
doubt in it. Now she understood where she was. Buck had come to save
her. She was in his arms, on Caesar's back--and she knew she would be
saved.

With an effort she opened her eyes and found herself looking into the
dark face of the man she loved, and a great sigh of contentment
escaped her. She closed them again, but it was only to open them
almost immediately. Again she remembered, and looked about her.

Everywhere was the lurid glow of fire, and she became aware of intense
heat. Above her head was the roar of tempest, and the vivid, hellish
light of the storm. Buck had called it "hell."

"The whole world seems to be afire," she said suddenly.

Buck looked down into her pale face.

"Well nigh," he said. Then he added, "Yes, it's afire, sure. It's
afire that bad the Almighty alone guesses if we'll git out."

But his doubt inspired no apprehension. Somehow Joan's confidence was
the effect of his strong supporting arm.

She stirred again in his arms. But it was very gently.

"Buck," she said, "let me sit up. It will ease you--and help poor
Caesar. I'm--I'm not afraid now."

Buck gave a deep-throated laugh. He felt he wanted to laugh, now he
was sure that Joan was alive.

"You don't need. Say, you don't weigh nuthin'. An' Caesar, why, Caesar's
mighty proud I'm lettin' him carry you."

But the girl had her way, and, in a moment, was sitting up with one
arm about the man's broad shoulders. It brought her face near to his,
and Buck bent his head toward her, and kissed the wonderful ripe lips
so temptingly adjacent.

For a moment Joan abandoned herself to the joy of that kiss. Then the
rhythmic sway of Caesar's body under her reminded her that there were
other things. She wanted to ask Buck how they had known and come to
her help. She wanted to ask a dozen woman's questions. But she
refrained. Buck had spoken of "hell," and she gazed about her seekin