presented to me air 'bout as good a shootin'-iron as I'd
care to shet my claws on, an 'most equal to my own ole rifle. I've gin
it all sorts o' trials, tharfor I know it's good for plum center at a
hundred an' fifty paces. Ef yonner two squattin' out from the rest 'ill
jest stay thur till the shades o' night gie me a chance o' stealin'
clost enuf, thar's one o' 'em will never see daylight again."

"Ah!" exclaimed Hamersley, with a sigh of despair, and yet half hopeful,
"if they would but remain there till night, we might still head them
into the valley, time enough to get our friends away."

"Don't you have any sech hopes, Frank; thar's no chance o' that I kin
see what the party air arter. They've made up thar mind not to 'tempt
goin' inter the gully till they hev a trifle o' shadder aroun' them.
They think that ef they're seen afore they git up to the house their
victims might 'scape 'em. Tharfor they purpiss approachin' the shanty
unobserved, and makin' a surround o' it. That's thar game. Cunnin' o'
them, too, for Mexikins."

"Yes, that is what they intend doing--no doubt of it. Oh, heavens! only
to think we are so near, and yet cannot give Miranda a word of warning!"

"Can't be helped. We must put our trust in Him as hes an eye on all o'
us--same over these desert purairas an' mountains as whar people are
livin' in large cities. Sartin we must trust to Him an' let things
slide a bit, jest as He may direct 'em. To go out of our kiver now 'ud
be the same as steppin' inter the heart o' a forest fire. Them sogers
air mounted on swift horses, an' 'ud ketch up wi these slow critturs o'
mules in the shakin' o' goat's tail. Thurfor, let's lie by till night.
Tain't fur off now. Then, ef we see any chance to steal down inter the
valley, we'll take edvantage o' it."

Hamersley can make no objection to the plan proposed. He sees no
alternative but accede to it. So they remain watching the halted troop,
regarding every movement with keen scrutiny.

For several hours are they thus occupied, until the sun begins to throw
elongated shadows over the plain. Within half an hour of its setting
the Mexicans again mount their horses and move onwards.

"Jest as I supposed they'd do," said Walt. "Thar's still all o' ten
miles atween them and the place. They've mezyured the time it'll take
'em to git thur--an hour or so arter sundown. Thar ain't the shadder o'
a chance for us to steal ahead o' 'em. We must stay in t