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Another brown body wormed itself forward to his side and peered over the edge of

the declivity down upon the white men. He spoke a few words in a whisper to him

who watched with the rifle, and then crawled back again and disappeared. And

all the while, onward and upward came Billy Byrne and Eddie Shorter, each

knowing in his heart that if not already, then at any moment a watcher would

discover them and a little later a bullet would fly that would find one of them, and

they took the chance for the sake of the American girl who lay hidden somewhere

in these hills, for in no other way could they locate her hiding place more quickly.

Any one of the other eight Americans who rode in pairs into the hills at other

points to the left and right of Billy Byrne and his companion would have and was

even then cheerfully taking the same chances that Eddie and Billy took, only the

latter were now assured that to one of them would fall the sacrifice, for as they

had come closer Eddie had seen a thin wreath of smoke rising from among the

trees of the oasis. Now, indeed, were they sure that they had chanced upon the

trail to the Piman village.

We gotta keep our eyes peeled," said Eddie, as they wound into a ravine which

from its location evidently led directly up to the village. "We ain't far from 'em

now, an' if they get us they'll get us about here."

As though to punctuate his speech with the final period a rifle cracked above

them. Eddie jumped spasmodically and clutched his breast.

"I'm hit," he said, quite unemotionally.

Billy Byrne's revolver had answered the shot from above them, the bullet striking

where Billy had seen a puff of smoke following the rifle shot. Then Billy turned

toward Eddie.

Hit bad?" he asked.

Yep, I guess so," said Eddie. "What'll we do? Hide up here, or ride back after the

others?"

Another shot rang out above them, although Billy had been watching for a target

at which to shoot again--a target which he had been positive he would get when

the man rose to fire again. And Billy did see the fellow at last--a few paces from

where he had first fired; but not until the other had dropped Eddie's horse

beneath him. Byrne fired again, and this time he had the satisfaction of seeing a

brown body rise, struggle a moment, and then roll over once upon the grass

before it came to rest.

"I reckon we'll stay here," said Billy, looking ruefully at Eddie's horse.

282

The Mucker