May Arlington recovered from her swooning condition after Barlow had gone some distance, and she began to ask questions, which were rather hazy at first, but became sharp and pointed when she more clearly understood just where she was and recalled what had happened. Barlow was lying like Ananias, in order to deceive her and make her think his motives honorable. “It’s on account of the Cheyennes,” he said. At the same time, so far as he was concerned, this was a bare falsehood, for he did not then know that the young bucks had left the reservation and gone on the warpath. A horrible fear gripped the heart of the girl, at that mention of Cheyennes; yet she was of the courageous border kind, and soon she was again asking questions and demanding answers. “If the Cheyennes are out, then the fort would be the safest place for me,” she urged. “That’s because you don’t understand the situation,” he told her. “I understand it thoroughly. The fort can’t be held against them. It’s nothing but an old hulk, and has been so for a long time. The palisades are rotten and are ready to fall down. The Indians can beat them down without trouble.” “If that is so, why haven’t you and the other troopers done something to repair the palisades?” “Just the dry rot of carelessness,” he said. “The Indians have been peaceable so long that no one could believe there would ever again be trouble; and so the walls have been neglected, and everything is in as bad a shape as it can be. “I saw the danger you would be in,” he went on. “You are young, and you are a handsome girl; some buck would take you for his squaw as soon as he saw you. That’s why I’m getting you away from there.” She stiffened in his arms. She did not believe him. “Let me down, please!” she requested. “What for?” “Because I know that you are lying, and I refuse to go farther with you.” “Why, my dear girl----” “What black scheme have you in mind now?” she demanded. “May Arlington, you wrong me! I have no plan. I’m doing this because I want to help you, and because I love you.” “You have left Mrs. McGee; and Ben Stevens is in that jail there, a prisoner and helpless.” “I meant to save you, at any rate.” “I will not go with you. Unhand me.” She struggled in his arms. “Don’t be foolish, May!” he said. “What would you do?” “Let me have one of the horses, and I’ll return to the fort.” “Alone? In the darkness?” “Yes. Give me one of the horses.” “No.” “Then, I’ll walk.” He held her tight, and her struggles were useless. But she was making trouble, for the horse was growing restive. “Stop it!” he commanded. “I will not stop it! Release me!” “See here,” he said, “I know what I’m doing.” “And I know what you are intending. You’re carrying me away into the darkness, and where you’re going with me I don’t know. But I won’t go with you.” “I’m taking you to safety!” he protested. “Let me down!” she begged. “No.” “Whoa!” she cried to the horses.