bushes much as Gus was doing, except that it was screened against being
seen from below and evidently did not know of Gus's presence. Now,
however, all attention was given to the altercation before the tool
house, around which the ghost had come, evidently to be disappointed at
not seeing George take to his heels.

Suddenly there was a shot. The reverberation among the hills seemed
ominous, but not more so than the staggering back and sinking down of
poor George. Gus saw the white figure stand for a moment, as though
peering down at the victim of this murderous act; then it turned and
fled straight up the hill and directly toward the one up there crouching
and--waiting? Were they in collusion? Gus had but a moment to guess.
Still crouching, unseen, though brave,--for Gus was courageous even
sometimes to the point of being foolhardy in the rougher sports, or
where danger threatened others,--he avoided now the almost certain fate
of George, for the villain was still armed and desperate, no doubt. And
Gus hoped that the arrest of the scamp would surely follow his meeting
with the other observer.

But this safe and sane attitude of the watching Gus suffered a sudden
change when, as the ascending ruffian fairly stumbled upon the other
figure crouching on the hillside, a scream, unmistakably that of a
female in dire distress, came to the ears of the witness. He could dimly
see the two struggling together, the dark figure with the white. The
next instant, forgetting all danger to himself, Gus lessened the
distance by leaps and scrambles along the declivity and flung himself
upon the assailant.

There was a short, sharp tussle; a second shot, but this time the weapon
discharged its leaden pellet harmlessly. Then the ghost, taking