opened, gazing up wonderingly at the black outlines of his shadow.
Then she made an effort as though to draw away.

"Lie still a while yet, Miss McDonald," he said soothingly, "until you
regain your strength."

He heard the quick gasp of her breath, and felt the sudden relaxing of
her muscles.

"You!" she exclaimed in undisguised relief at recognition of the voice;
"is it really you? Where are we? What has happened?"

He told her rapidly, his face bent close, realizing that she was
clinging to him again as she had once before back in the stage. As he
ended, she lifted one hand to her wound.

"And I am not really hurt--not seriously?" her voice bewildered. "I--I
never realized I had been struck. And--and you carried me all that
way--" she shuddered, looking about into the black silence. "I--I can
hardly comprehend--yet. Please explain again; they are back there
watching for us still, believing we are in the coach; they will follow
our trail as soon as it becomes daylight. Why--why, the sky is
brighter over in the east already, is n't it? What was it you said we
must do?"

"Get across the river; once hidden in those sand-dunes over there we
'll be safe enough."

"Across the river," she repeated the words dully, sitting up to stare
out toward the water. Then her head sank into her hands. "Can we--can