as we saw the glad look that came into his
face when he gazed out over that broad expanse of sunlit landscape, and
snuffed eagerly the sweet fresh air, and so felt his soul grow light
within him as he realized that he once more was safe and free.

In the mouth of the cave--within its shelter, yet where he could see out
freely, and so have constantly in his mind the comforting thought of his
deliverance--we made a bed for him of soft pine-branches, which some
near-by trees gave us; and we took care that this couch should be so
thick and so evenly laid that he would lie easily upon it; for we knew
that many days, perhaps even weeks, must pass before we could venture to
put so heavy a strain upon his strength as would come when we carried
him down that rough mountain-side, and so began our journey towards home.

Fortunately, a little spring came out from the rock, clear and cool,
just inside the cave; and game was so abundant on that mountain-side
that Young came back presently from a foraging expedition with half a
dozen codornices, that he had come so close to as to shoot with his
revolver, and a jack-rabbit that he actually had caught with his hands
as it jumped up almost beneath his feet; which excellent fare made a
most satisfying supper for all of us; and eating it so added to
Rayburn's strength--as we could tell by the fuller tones of his voice,
and by his being able to move a little on his bed without our helping
him--as to rouse in us a warm hope that the death that seemed so near to
him might yet be thrust away. Our chief concern, lest the shock that
would come to him of knowing it should fairly kill him, was to hide from
him for the present the knowledge that Fray Antonio was dead; and to
compass this end we plumply told him the flat-footed lie that the monk
had gone on in search of some town whence he might bring back horses and
supplies; and so, for a time, we laid at rest his doubts.

In his own original way, also, Young tried to put heart into him. "You
see, old man," he said, "you've just _got_ t' pull through. Think how
d----d ashamed o' yourself you'd feel after you was dead when you had t'
tell all th' folks in heaven that you was killed by nothin' better'n a
mis'rable chump of an Injun! That was what bothered poor old Steve
Hollis when he was handin' in _his_ checks--'t least it was th' same
general sort of idea. I guess you never knew Steve, did you, Rayburn? He
was an old railroader--had been a-worki