there in the glowing sunshine stood the tall
sergeant whom he last had seen when scouting through Picacho Pass.

"Bravo, lieutenant! You're all right, though you must be in some pain.
Can you stand a little more? We're close to the caves now,--cool water
and cool shade not five hundred yards ahead."

"How did you get here, sergeant?" Drummond weakly questioned. "Where
are the others?"

"Followed on your trail, sir, Private Pike and I. Most of the men are
gathering up prisoners and plunder. You've made the grandest haul in
all the history of Arizona. I got up only just in time to see the
charge, and Pike's now on his way back already with the good news. We
are taking you and the ladies to the refuge in the rocks where Morales
and all his people have hid so long. Old Moreno, with a lariat around
his neck, is showing the way."

"Got him, did you? I'm glad of that. There was another,--a deserter
from my troop; did you see anything of him?"

"I haven't heard yet, sir. One thing's certain, old Pasqual is with
his hopeful brother in another if not a better world. 'Twas he that
killed poor 'Chester,' the worst loss we've met. Not a man is hit, and
by daybreak to-morrow Dr. Day from Stoneman will be here to
straighten you out, and these young ladies' father here to thank you."

"Thank you, Mr. Drummond? Ah, how can he or I ever begin to thank you
and your brave fellows half enough? I had lost all hope until that
disguised bandit suddenly leaped from the wagon, and Ruth was swooning
again, but she heard your voice before I did. 'Twas she who saw your
charge." And Fanny Harvey's lips quivered as she spoke, and the voice
that was so brave at the siege became weak and tremulous now.

Drummond closed his eyes a moment. It was all too sweet to be
believed. His right hand, to be sure, refused to move, his left stole
up and began groping back of his head.

"May I not thank my nurse?" he said. "The first thing I was conscious
of was her touch upon my forehead."

But the hands that were so eager, so active when their patient lay
unconscious, seemed to shrink from the long, brown fingers searching
blindly for them, and not one word had the maiden vouchsafed.

"I heard your voice a moment ago, Ruthie. Can't you speak to me now?"
he asked, half chiding, half laughing. "Have you forgotten your friend
Jim Drummond and the long, long talks we used to have on the
'Newbern'?"

Forgotten Jim Drummond and those long talks indeed! Forgo