ers whose only victim was Uncle Sam and "his liveried
hirelings." Nobody in Sonora would fail to regard them with envious
eyes; but in the deed of rapine that made them the captors and
possessors of those defenceless sisters each man had put a price upon
his head, a halter round his neck, for "Gringo" and "Greaser,"
American and Mexican alike, would spring to arms to rescue and avenge.

As the rearmost of the little party of pursuers disappeared in the
darkness and the wearied pack-mules went jogging sullenly after, urged
on by the goad of their half-Mexican driver, the sergeant left in
charge of the detachment at the corral looked at his watch and noted
that it was just half-past two o'clock. The dawn would be creeping on
at four.

Wearied as were his men he did not permit them all to rest. The
condition of his wounded and the instructions left him by Lieutenant
Drummond made it necessary that they should have constant attention.
It was sore trouble for him to look at the old paymaster, whose life
seemed ebbing away, lying there so pallid and moaning at times so
pitifully, but Feeny lay torpid, breathing, yet seeming to suffer not
at all. Both were in desperate need of surgical attendance, but where
could surgeon be found? The nearest was at Stoneman, the little
cantonment across the Christobal, thirty miles to the east; and though
a gallant fellow had volunteered to make the ride alone through the
Apache-infested pass and carry the despatch that Drummond had
hurriedly pencilled, there was no possibility of doctors reaching them
before the coming night, and the thought of all they might have to
suffer through the fierce white heat of the intervening day was one
that gave the sergeant deep concern. Then, too, who could say whether
the solitary trooper would succeed in running the gauntlet and making
his way through? He was a resolute old frontiersman, skilled in Indian
warfare, and well aware that his best chance was in the dark, but
speed as he might the broad light of day would be on him long before
he could get half-way through the range. The stage from the west would
probably come along about sunset, but nothing could be hoped for
sooner. No troops were nearer than the Colorado in that direction
except the little signal-post at the Picacho. Corporal Fox and two men
had been sent thither to inquire what the signal meant, and it would
soon be time for them to come riding in with their report. How he
wished Wing were