strengthening her to play out the game, "the trend of that gulf is to
the west; except up here close to the bluff it runs too far away for a
guard line. The Indians will be lying out here on the open prairie;
they will creep as close in as they dare under cover of darkness. I
'll bet there are twenty red snakes now within a hundred feet of
us--oh, don't shiver and lose your nerve! They 'll not try to close
that gap yet; it's too dangerous with us on guard and only one side of
the coach exposed. That fellow was trying us out a while ago, and they
've kept quiet ever since I let drive at him. They know the limits of
the safety zone, and will keep there until just before daylight. That
is when they 'll try to creep up upon us. Have you got the time?"

She opened her watch, feeling for the hands with her fingers, wondering
vaguely at her own calmness. The cool resourcefulness of Hamlin was
like a tonic.

"It--it is a little after one o'clock," she said slowly, "although I am
not sure my watch is exactly right."

"Near enough; there are signs of daylight at four--three hours left;
that ought to be sufficient, but with no darkness to spare. Will you
go with me? Will you do exactly as I say?"

She drew a swift breath, holding her hand to her side.

"Oh, yes," her voice catching, "what--what else can I do? I cannot
stay here with those dead men!"

"But I want you to go because--well, because you trust me," he urged, a
new trace of tenderness in his lowered voice. "Because you know I