"And do you still believe there are no Apaches in this business?"
asked the major.

"Not out north or west, sir; they're thick enough ahead in the Santa
Maria, but not to the north, not to the west; I can't believe that.
Those Morales fellows know everything that is going on. They knew that
just about this time Ned Harvey was expected along escorting his
sisters home. They knew you had never seen him and could easily be
made to believe the story. Everything has been done to hold us back,
first at Ceralvo's and afterwards here, until they could gather all
their gang in force sufficient to attack, then--Hist! listen!
There's hoofs now. No, not out there, the other way, from the Tucson
road, east. God grant it's some of our fellows coming back! Keep watch
here, major; I'll run out and challenge."

Hastily picking up a carbine as he passed the door, Feeny ran nimbly
out across the sandy barren, disappearing in the darkness to the
southeast. Old Plummer's heart beat like a hammer as he listened for
the hail. A moment more he could hear hoof-beats and the voices of men
in low tones; then, low-toned too, but sharp and stern, Feeny's
challenge rose upon the night:

"Who comes there?"

Instantly the invisible party halted, surprised; but with the
promptness born of frontier experience, back came the answer:

"Friends."