e
incident sooner, Ferguson said nothing in reply to her outbreaks as he
led her toward the ponies. For a moment after reaching them she leaned
against her animal's shoulder, her face concealed from Ferguson by the
pony's mane. Then he was at her side, speaking firmly.

"You must get away from here," he said, "I ought to have got you away
before--before that happened."

She looked up, showing him a pair of wide, dry eyes, in which there was
still a trace of horror. An expression of grave self-accusation shone
in his.

"You were not to blame," she said dully. "You may have anticipated a
meeting of those men, but you could not have foreseen the end. Oh!"
She shuddered again. "To think of seeing a man deliberately murdered!"

"That's just what it was," he returned quietly; "just plain murder.
They had him between them. He didn't have a chance. He was bound to
get it from one or the other. Looks like they trapped him; run him
down there on purpose." He held her stirrup.

"I reckon you've seen enough, ma'am," he added. "You'd better hop
right on your horse an' get back to Bear Flat."

She shivered and raised her head, looking at him--a flash of fear in
her eyes. "You are going down there!" she cried, her eyes dilating.

He laughed grimly. "I cert'nly am, ma'am," he returned. "You'd better
go right off. I'm ridin' down there to see how bad that man is hit."

She started toward him, protesting. "Why, they will kill you, too!"
she declared.

He laughed again, with a sudden grim humor. "There ain't any danger,"
he returned. "They've sloped."

Involuntarily she looked down. Far out on the plains, through the
break in the ridge of hills, she could see two horsemen racing away.

"The cowards!" she cried, her voice shaking with anger. "To shoot a
man in cold blood and then run!" She looked at Ferguson, her figure
stiffening with decision.

"If you go down there I am going, too!" she declared. "He might need
some help," she added, seeing the objection in his eyes, "and if he
does I may be able to give it to him. You know," she continued,
smiling wanly, "I have had some experience with sick people."

He said nothing more, but silently assisted her into the saddle and
swung into his own. They urged the animals to a rapid pace, she
following him eagerly.

It was a rough trail, leading through many gullies, around miniature
hills, into bottoms where huge boulders and treacherous sand barred the
w