business, and her untutored nature instantly responded with a throb of
confidence.

"Well, if you put it that way," she said, "I 'll go."

For one breathless moment neither stirred. Then a single wild yell
rang sharply forth from the rocks in their front, and a rifle barked
savagely, its red flame cleaving the darkness with tongue of fire. An
instant and the impenetrable gloom again surrounded them.

"Come on, then," he whispered, his fingers grasping her sleeve.

She shook off the restraining touch of his hand as if it were
contamination, and sank down upon her knees beside the inert body. He
could barely perceive the dim outlines of her bowed figure, yet never
moved, his breath perceptibly quickening, while he watched and waited.
Without word or moan she bent yet lower, and pressed her lips upon the
cold, white face. The man caught no more than the faintest echo of a
murmured "Good-bye, old dad; I wish I could take you with me." Then
she stood stiffly upright, facing him. "I'm ready now," she announced
calmly. "You can go on ahead."

They crept among low shrubs and around the bowlders, carefully guarding
every slightest movement lest some rustle of disturbed foliage, or
sound of loosened stone, might draw the fire of those keen watchers.
Nor dared they ignore the close proximity of their own little company,
who, amid such darkness, might naturally suspect them for approaching
savages. Every inch of their progress was attained through tedious
groping, yet the distance to be traversed was short, and Hampton soon
found himself pressing against the uprising precipice. Passing his