or where the red spots over his cheek bones made his cheeks look as
if painted. His eyes were as insanely bright, he panted as quickly, he
showed his white teeth as perpetually, his movements were as convulsive,
as those captured animals she had known. Yet he did not attempt to fly,
and it was only when, with a sudden effort and groan of pain, he half
lifted himself above the stockade, that she saw that his leg, bandaged
with his cravat and handkerchief, stained a dull red, dragged helplessly
beneath him. He stared at her vacantly for a moment, and then looked
hurriedly into the wood behind her.

The child was more interested than frightened, and more curious than
either. She had grasped the situation at a glance. It was the hunted and
the hunters. Suddenly he started and reached for his rifle, which he had
apparently set down outside when he climbed into the stockade. He had
just caught sight of a figure emerging from the wood at a distance. But
the weapon was out of his reach.

"Hand me that gun!" he said roughly.

But Peggy did not stir. The figure came more plainly and quite
unconsciously into full view, an easy shot at that distance.

The man uttered a horrible curse, and turned a threatening face on
the child. But Peggy had seen something like that in animals SHE had
captured. She only said gravely,--

"Ef you shoot that gun you'll bring 'em all down on you!"

"All?" he demanded.

"Yes! a dozen folks with guns like yours," said Peggy. "You jest crouch
down and lie low. Don't move! Watch me."

The man dropped below the stockade. Peggy ran swiftly towards the
unsuspecting figure, evidently the leader of the party, but deviated
slightly to snatch a tiny spray from a white-ash tree. She never knew
that in that brief interval the wounded man, after a supreme effort, had
possessed himself of his weapon, and for a moment had covered HER with
its deadly muzzle. She ran on fearlessly until she saw that she had
attracted the attention of the leader, when she stopped and began to
wave the white-ash wand before her. The leader halted, conferred with
some one behind him, who proved to be the deputy sheriff. Stepping out
he advanced towards Peggy, and called sharply,

"I told you to get out of this! Come, be quick!"

"You'd better get out yourself," said Peggy, waving her ash spray, "and
quicker, too."

The deputy stopped, staring at the spray. "Wot's up?"

"Rattlers."

"Where?"

"Everywhere round ye--a reg'l