ble
to be up and about, and if Wing is gone it's my business to look after
things."

Over among the rocks across the narrow canon the first object to meet
his gaze as he arose was Moreno, reclining there bound and helpless,
while near at hand a soldier had thrown himself on his saddle blanket
and was sound asleep. The plash of the waters in the brook, dancing
and tumbling down the chasm, made sweet, drowsing music for his ears,
a lulling, soothing sound that explained perhaps the deep slumber of
his trooper friend.

"I heard Mr. Wing tell that man to lie down and sleep," said Miss
Harvey, as the young officer's eyes seemed to darken with menace at
the sight of a sentry sleeping on guard. "Moreno is securely tied, and
both Patterson up there and I here are now his keepers. The senora and
her daughter are in the other cave, forbidden to go near him."

Glancing up at the stunted cedar where Patterson stood faithful to his
trust, Drummond saw that he was peering steadily southward through the
black field-glasses.

"What do you see, Patterson?" he hailed. "Where is Wing? Any of the
men coming back?"

"Wing has gone on down the valley, sir. Some of our fellows, two or
three only, were coming back, but they didn't come fast enough to suit
him. The ambulance will be here in a minute or two,--it's just below
us down the canon now."

Indeed, almost at the moment the click of iron-shod hoofs was heard,
and the dejected mule-team came into view around a jutting point, the
dingy yellow ambulance jolting after them, one soldier in the driver's
seat handling the reins, the other riding behind and leading his
comrade's horse.

"Come up here to the mouth of the cave, Merrill," called the
lieutenant. "You can unhitch and unharness just beyond; but I want
that safe unloaded and put in here."

"The safe's gone, sir."

"What?"

"The safe's gone, sir. We never got it. That's what took Sergeant Wing
off down the valley, I reckon. I supposed you knew it, sir, and him,
too, but he didn't. Those Morales fellows got away with it on
burro-back while we were chasing the white wagon."

For a moment Drummond stood astounded.

"Man alive!" he at last exclaimed, "why was I not told of this? Get me
a horse at once, Walsh," he ordered. "I'll take Patterson's. You two
remain here and see that that old scoundrel don't get loose,--Moreno
there,--and that no harm befall the ladies. I'll ride down after
Wing."

"Oh, Mr. Drummond, you must