“It is Hero,” whispered Alison. “He shall not be taken.” And with this one thought in her mind she raised her rifle and fired. Louisa, too, discharged first one pistol and then the other, aiming at nothing in particular, for at Alison’s shot the man reeled from his saddle and fell to the ground. Hero promptly cantered back to his stable. The men in advance, hearing the reports, cast a quick look behind them, spurred on their horses and escaped, leaving their companion to his fate. After having used up all their ammunition the two girls waited a while to see if the coast was clear, and then they left their hiding-place, swung themselves upon the low-hanging tree and made their way back trembling with excitement, and dreading to see what lay so still by the roadside. The noise of the firing had aroused both Christine and Pedro. The former in an agony of fright awoke to find Alison gone from her side and Louisa’s room vacant. Without waiting to do more than throw something around her, she rushed down-stairs to meet Pedro in a frenzy of alarm for herself and Alison. He poured forth question after question in broken English which Christine could not understand, and as she began with counter questions up came Alison and Louisa. Christine grabbed her sister. “Where have you been? What have you been doing?” she asked. “Killing a man, I reckon,” returned Alison leaning her rifle against the side of the house. “He’s down there in the road, but we have saved Hero.” “For pity’s sake, Alison, what do you mean?” said Christine with shaking voice. “I mean just what I say. I was awake and thought I heard a noise among the horses, so I got up and looked out and I saw two or three men down by the stable. I waked Lou and we went down. I didn’t think about its not being right to leave you alone, and I didn’t really mean to kill anybody. I thought maybe if we fired at the thieves they would think we were a lot of men and would go off. There were only two or three, you see, but when I found they had Hero I got excited and fired right at the man--and--and the man--the man dropped.” She burst into tears and flung herself into Christine’s arms sobbing wildly. “You poor child! you poor child!” murmured Christine. “Have they gone off, Louisa? All the rest of them?” “Yes’m, I think so. They made quick tracks as soon as they heard them shots. I kind of fired wild, and didn’t hit anybody, but Allie’s gun did the damage.” “Did you wait to see if the man was really killed?” “No, Allie was so anxious about you and was skeered to go near that ornery crittur.” “We must go out and see to him,” said Christine. “Light the lantern, Louisa. You stay here, Alison.” “No, no, I must go too.” “But, dear child----”