ith rapidly beating hearts, to the sounds of rifle-firing from the direction of th

n, after the interval of a full minute, t

listening attitude a while longer,

aid the parent

st horsemen and rifle-shots in the world, lay on the green sward, staring, with eyes that saw not

and the story

zed to the southward for the first sight of returni

and yet dreaded to see. But years had compelled her to use glasses, and her eyes were not the

e, but neither thought of it; thei

y, her heart sinking under the dreadful fear of

re was none

ve detected something, and she start

oundary of her vision, a black speck seems to be quivering and flickering, so i

e it has gazed across the rolling prairie, and identified the love

ming," she says

alarmed response; "

but this one

the rest?" is the query, born of t

the present; he may be better

r w

el

help can w

house, and there is

suffered-have been d

you see n

ng horseman is now fully defined against the dark-green of th

tney's eyes rove, and her heart se

ne; I see

Our people have been defeate

on a dead run, his neck outstretched, mane and tail streaming as he

h his goal at the earliest instant. His broad-brimmed hat fitted so well that it kept its place on his head without any fastening; but his own long, dark locks

be father, brother, or one of the two hired men. She

h the horseman plainly, though

e said, speaking her hope

t he," replie

it is

e mistaken;

be he, and neither my husban

Estacado of Texas and among the mountain ranges of Montana; who had fought Apaches in the southwest, Comanches in the south and Sio

and no braver

t about his head at sight of the ladies. It was his jo

mother and daughter almost as soon as they discerned h

amiss," was

thm, and he thundered forward like one who knew he was bringing decis

as he looked steadily at the couple, against whom his horse woul

women, and halted with a suddenness that would have flung a less skil

efore the words could shape themsel

chief is

nie, she and her mother stepp

rustlers-one of the worst I ev

hurt?" falter

onless that bus'ness is carried on below, where they've gone; two o

nued the parent, while Jennie tried to still th

dkerchief across his forehead, as though the matter was of sli

w was it? D

d steers. I made them give him up, and then the fight was on. Zip got a piece of lead through the body and the arm, and went out of the saddle without time to say good-by. My hip w

ed Jennie, clasping her hands and gazing i

ness he had shown after his first exclamation, "I

ng so close that she laid her hand on the knee of the st

was shot and Fred got it through the arm, which ended his power to do much f

sn't badly

Mont Sterry, as he had heard the firing, and the way he sailed in was beautiful to behold. It reminded me of the times down in Arizona when Geronimo made it so live

the daughter was far from satisfied. A dreadf

than to mention the fact that he had been wounded. The mother, in her distress

parent nonchalance of the messenger and his assu

, because he fears to tell it