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returned with some one； how would he ever find her again in this
desolate expanse？
He watched the train slowly passstill mechanically； almost
hopelessly； waving his hat as he ran up and down before the
mesquite； as if he were waving a last farewell to his departing
hope。 Suddenly it appeared to him that three of the outriders who
were preceding the first wagon had changed their shape。 They were
no longer sharp； oblong； black blocks against the horizon but had
become at first blurred and indistinct； then taller and narrower；
until at last they stood out like exclamation points against the
sky。 He continued to wave his hat； they continued to grow taller
and narrower。 He understood it nowthe three transformed blocks
were the outriders coming towards him。
This is what he had seen
＇Drawing of three black blocks＇
This is what he saw now
！ ！ ！
He ran back to Susy to see if she still slept； for his foolish
desire to have her saved unconsciously was stronger than ever now
that safety seemed so near。 She was still sleeping； although she
had moved slightly。 He ran to the front again。
The outriders had apparently halted。 What were they doing？ Why
wouldn't they come on？
Suddenly a blinding flash of light seemed to burst from one of
them。 Away over his head something whistled like a rushing bird；
and sped off invisible。 They had fired a gun； they were signaling
to himClarencelike a grown…up man。 He would have given his
life at that moment to have had a gun。 But he could only wave his
hat frantically。
One of the figures here bore away and impetuously darted forward
again。 He was coming nearer； powerful； gigantic； formidable； as he
loomed through the darkness。 All at once he threw up his arm with
a wild gesture to the others； and his voice； manly； frank； and
assuring； came ringing before him。
〃Hold up！ Good God！ It's no Injunit's a child！〃
In another moment he had reined up beside Clarence and leaned over
him； bearded； handsome； powerful and protecting。
〃Hallo！ What's all this？ What are you doing here？〃
〃Lost from Mr。 Silsbee's train；〃 said Clarence； pointing to the
darkened west。
〃Lost？how long？〃
〃About three hours。 I thought they'd come back for us；〃 said
Clarence apologetically to this big； kindly man。
〃And you kalkilated to wait here for 'em？〃
〃Yes； yesI didtill I saw you。〃
〃Then why in thunder didn't you light out straight for us； instead
of hanging round here and drawing us out？〃
The boy hung his head。 He knew his reasons were unchanged； but all
at once they seemed very foolish and unmanly to speak out。
〃Only that we were on the keen jump for Injins；〃 continued the
stranger； 〃we wouldn't have seen you at all； and might hev shot you
when we did。 What possessed you to stay here？〃
The boy was still silent。 〃Kla'uns；〃 said a faint； sleepy voice
from the mesquite； 〃take me。〃 The rifle…shot had awakened Susy。
The stranger turned quickly towards the sound。 Clarence started
and recalled himself。 〃There；〃 he said bitterly； 〃you've done it
now； you've wakened her！ THAT'S why I stayed。 I couldn't carry
her over there to you。 I couldn't let her walk； for she'd be
frightened。 I wouldn't wake her up； for she'd be frightened； and I
mightn't find her again。 There！〃 He had made up his mind to be
abused； but he was reckless now that she was safe。
The men glanced at each other。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman quietly；
〃you didn't strike out for us on account of your sister？〃
〃She ain't my sister；〃 said Clarence quickly。 〃She's a little
girl。 She's Mrs。 Silsbee's little girl。 We were in the wagon and
got down。 It's my fault。 I helped her down。〃
The three men reined their horses closely round him； leaning
forward from their saddles； with their hands on their knees and
their heads on one side。 〃Then；〃 said the spokesman gravely； 〃you
just reckoned to stay here； old man； and take your chances with her
rather than run the risk of frightening or leaving herthough it
was your one chance of life！〃
〃Yes；〃 said the boy； scornful of this feeble； grown…up repetition。
〃Come here。〃
The boy came doggedly forward。 The man pushed back the well…worn
straw hat from Clarence's forehead and looked into his lowering
face。 With his hand still on the boy's head he turned him round to
the others； and said quietly；
〃Suthin of a pup； eh？〃
〃You bet；〃 they responded。
The voice was not unkindly； although the speaker had thrown his
lower jaw forward as if to pronounce the word 〃pup〃 with a humorous
suggestion of a mastiff。 Before Clarence could make up his mind if
the epithet was insulting or not； the man put out his stirruped
foot； and； with a gesture of invitation； said； 〃Jump up。〃
〃But Susy；〃 said Clarence； drawing back。
〃Look； she's making up to Phil already。〃
Clarence looked。 Susy had crawled out of the mesquite； and with
her sun…bonnet hanging down her back； her curls tossed around her
face； still flushed with sleep； and Clarence's jacket over her
shoulders； was gazing up with grave satisfaction in the laughing
eyes of one of the men who was with outstretched hands bending over
her。 Could he believe his senses？ The terror…stricken； willful；
unmanageable Susy； whom he would have translated unconsciously to
safety without this terrible ordeal of being awakened to the loss
of her home and parents at any sacrifice to himselfthis ingenuous
infant was absolutely throwing herself with every appearance of
forgetfulness into the arms of the first new…comer！ Yet his
perception of this fact was accompanied by no sense of ingratitude。
For her sake he felt relieved； and with a boyish smile of
satisfaction and encouragement vaulted into the saddle before the
stranger。
CHAPTER IV
The dash forward to the train； securely held in the saddle by the
arms of their deliverers； was a secret joy to the children that
seemed only too quickly over。 The resistless gallop of the fiery
mustangs； the rush of the night wind； the gathering darkness in
which the distant wagons； now halted and facing them； looked like
domed huts in the horizonall these seemed but a delightful and
fitting climax to the events of the day。 In the sublime
forgetfulness of youth； all they had gone through had left no
embarrassing record behind it； they were willing to repeat their
experiences on the morrow； confident of some equally happy end。
And when Clarence； timidly reaching his hand towards the horse…hair
reins lightly held by his companion； had them playfully yielded up
to him by that hold and confident rider； the boy felt himself
indeed a man。
But a greater surprise was in store for them。 As they neared the
wagons； now formed into a circle with a certain degree of military
formality； they could see that the appointments of the strange
party were larger and more liberal than their own； or indeed
anything they had ever known of the kind。 Forty or fifty horses
were tethered within the circle； and the camp fires were already
blazing。 Before one of them a large tent was erected； and through
the parted flaps could be seen a table actually spread with a white
cloth。 Was it a school feast； or was this their ordinary household
arrangement？ Clarence and Susy thought of their own dinners；
usually laid on bare boards beneath the sky； or under the low hood
of the wagon in rainy weather； and marveled。 And when they finally
halted； and were lifted from their horses； and passed one wagon
fitted up as a bedroom and another as a kitchen； they could only
nudge each other with silent appreciation。 But here again the
difference already noted in the quality of the sensations of the
two children was observable。 Both were equally and agreeably
surprised。 But Susy's wonder was merely the sense of novelty and
inexperience； and a slight disbelief in the actual necessity of
what she saw； while Clarence； whether from some previous general
experience or peculiar temperament； had the conviction that what he
saw here was the usual custom； and what he had known with the
Silsbees was the novelty。 The feeling was attended with a slight
sense of wounded pride for Susy； as if her enthusiasm had exposed
her to ridicule。
The man who had carried him； and seemed to be the head of the
party； had already preceded them to the tent； and presently
reappeared with a lady with whom he had exchanged a dozen hurried
words。 They seemed to refer to him and Susy； but Clarence was too
much preoccupied with the fact that the lady was pretty； that her
clothes were neat and thoroughly clean； that her hair was tidy and
not rumpled； and that； although she wore an apron； it was as clean
as her gown； and even had ribbons on it； to listen to what was
said。 And when she ran eagerly forward； and with a fascinating
smile lifted the astonished Susy in her arms； Clarence； in his
delight for his young charge； quite forgot that she had not noticed
him。 The bearded man； who seemed to be the lady's husband；
evidently pointed out the omission； with some additions that
Clarence could not catch； for after saying； with a pretty pout；
〃Well； why shouldn't he？〃 she came forward with the same dazzling
smile； and laid her small a