Now they could distinctly hear some one cautiously moving about in front of the church. It seemed to Tad as if the mysterious intruder were standing on the broad stone flagging at the top of the steps leading into the adobe church. Tad slowly rose to his feet. "Who's there?" he cried in a voice that trembled a little. A sudden commotion followed the question, and the listeners distinctly caught the sound of footsteps on the flagging. A flash lighted the scene momentarily. Big-foot had fired a shot toward the church. A slight scream followed almost instantly. "I winged it!" shouted the cowman, lifting his weapon for another shot. Tad struck the gun up. The lad was excited now. "Stop!" he commanded. "Don't do that again. Do you want to kill somebody?" With that Tad ran, his feet fairly flying over the ground, in the direction of the church steps. In the flash of the gun he had caught a glimpse of a figure standing there. The sight thrilled him through and through. As the plucky lad reached the steps some one started to run down them. Tripping, the unknown plunged headlong to the ground. The boy was beside the figure in an instant. "Big-foot!" he shouted. The cowman came tearing up to him. "What is it?" he bellowed in his excitement. "It's a woman, Big-foot! It's a woman! Oh, I hope you did not hit her!" "It's no woman; it's a spook. I know it's a spook!" fairly shouted the cowboy. "I tell you it's a woman!" cried Tad. He was down on his knees by her side now, raising her head. "Get help--_quick_!" Sanders took the shortest way of doing this. He, too, was alarmed now. Raising his gun above his head, he pulled the trigger three times in quick succession. As many sharp flashes leaped into the air, and as many quick reports followed. "Sure she ain't a spirit?" demanded the cowman, peering down suspiciously, fearfully. He could make out the form on the ground but dimly. "Don't be foolish. Run out there and meet them. I hear the ponies coming. Don't let any of them use their guns, in the excitement, or some one may get hurt," warned Tad Butler, with rare judgment. Big-foot hurried out into the open. In the meantime Tad stroked the face and head of the woman. She was unconscious, but her flesh seemed warm to his touch. "I wonder what it means," the perplexed boy asked himself. Tad could feel his own pulses beating against his temples. It seemed to him as if all the blood in his body were hurling itself against them. Cowboys on their ponies came thundering up from different directions. In the lead was Bob Stallings, the foreman of the outfit. "You idiots!" he shouted. "Do you want to stampede the herd again? What do you mean?" "I've winged a spook!" yelled Big-foot Sanders. "She's over there by the steps now. The kid's got her." "Spook--nonsense!" snapped the foreman, leaping from his pony and rushing to the spot indicated by Big-foot. "What----" chorused the cowboys. "Is it the boy--have they found him?"