He could see her beautiful, intelligent face, with the flickering light of the fire now making it a glory and then leaving it in shadow; her eyes, despite all this trouble, so full of womanly expression, telling that no matter where the soul is its mirror is the eye--and he felt as if he could worship her. A noise from men advancing attracted the attention of Mainwaring now, and he turned, to see Bill Harkness coming toward him, leaning on the arm of one of his men. “I’ve been hit, stranger, and have lost a little blood, but it is nothing bad, only a flesh wound. I stayed too long before I had it seen to,” said the robber, as he sank down near Mainwaring on a pile of buffalo robes. Then turning to the man who came with him he said: “Hunt up Dolph Lowell, and tell the cuss to go up above and watch them fellows, or some of ’em will climb the cliff. They’re the sharpest crowd I’ve ever had dealin’s with. There’s one fellow there that shoots the closest I ever knew.” “Wild Bill, maybe, is the man you mean,” said Mainwaring. “He is one of the best shots on the plains.” “’Twas him that hit me, and I didn’t think they could see a square inch when I crept up where I could see what they were doing, for they seemed to be holding some kind of a palaver, but I didn’t get my head out before a ball raked my shoulder. “Jeff Perkins is dead; he got an ounce ball through his neck while he was in a tree. They’re wide awake; but when it comes to daylight we’ll have a fair show--we can pick them off till they’re sick of staying around here.” The man who went for Dolph Lowell came back and reported that he couldn’t find him. “The lazy cuss has gone to sleep, I suppose,” said Harkness, “or hid away somewhere. Since he couldn’t be captain he hasn’t wanted to be anything. Go up above yourself, Jake Durn, and look to the boys. After I’ve had my wound dressed and taken a nip to bring the life back I’ll try and crawl up again myself. I wish it was daylight--we’d make that crowd sick then in a hurry.” The man called Jake Durn now hurried away, and the robber called Lize over to dress his wound. She did this with a speed and skill that told she was used to such work, and after the wound was dressed she brought a bottle of liquor to Harkness. “Stranger, after you!” he said, as he proffered the bottle to Mainwaring. “Thank you--I don’t drink,” said the young rancher. “Don’t drink whisky?” cried Harkness, in surprise. “Don’t drink whisky and come from Texas? Why, I thought ’twas nat’ral born for a Texan to drink? And you told me you was one!” “I’m proud to be an exception, so don’t wait for me,” said Mainwaring. “Well, I’m beat!” said Harkness, as he raised the bottle and took a pull that was ample for both, had Mainwaring been a drinker. “Hark! What was that?” said the robber. “I heard something clash.” “I saw a horse kicking out over there,” said Mainwaring, whose heart throbbed wildly now, for he had recognized the clatter of a saber against the rocks.