. The rider was close beside it, but lay quite still where he
had fallen. To Charlie's critical eye there was little doubt as to
what had happened. The adjacency of the edge of the culvert warned him
of what had befallen. The rider must have struck it as he fell.

As Bill dismounted he pointed at the stranger's horse.

"Grab it," cried Charlie. The next moment was kneeling beside the
fallen man.

Then, in a moment, the wondering Bill, looking on, beheld a sight he
would never forget.

Charlie bent down over the silent figure. He reached out and placed an
arm under the man's body and turned him over. The next instant a cry,
half-stifled in his throat, a cry as of some dumb creature mortally
wounded, a cry full of hopeless, dreadful pain rose from the kneeling
man, and its agony smote the sympathetic brother as though with a
mortal blow.

Then came words, a rush of words, imploring, agonized.

"Kate! Kate! Oh, Kate, why did you do it? Why? Oh, God, she's dead!
Kate! Kate! Speak to me. For God's sake speak to me. You're not dead.
No, no. Not dead. It can't be."

The man's hand caressed the soft pale cheek under it. He had thrust
back the prairie hat which still retained its position, pressed low
upon the head, and a mass of dark, luxuriant hair fell away from its
place, coiled tightly about the small head.

At that moment the horrified voice of Bill broke in.

"Charlie! Charlie! I can hear horses galloping in the distance!" he
cried, alarmed, without actually realizing why. And some sort of
desperate instinct made him thrust his hand into his revolver pocket.

For an instant only Charlie looked up at him in a dazed, only
half-understanding. Then his eyes lit with a stirring alarm as he
turned a listening ear to windward.

The next moment his arms were flung about the body of the disguised
woman at his feet, and, with a great effort, he lifted her and
struggled to his feet.

Bill stared in stupid wonderment when he beheld the figure of Kate
Seton clad in man's clothing, but he continued to hold on to the
horses, and, with a hand on his revolver, awaited his brother's
commands.

At that moment Kate opened her eyes and gazed into the dark face above
her. In a moment the ardent eyes of Charlie smiled down at her. Then
the injured woman's lips opened, and, as they formulated her halting
words, his smile gave place to something like panic. She was still in
a fainting condition, but power was vouchsafed her to im