Her heart throbbed with sudden
fear when their course came almost within the circle of light made by
the burning cabin. Like shadows they sped into the deeper shelter of the
corral buildings, and not until they paused there did she understand the
significance of the hazardous chance they had taken. Already Graham's
men were pouring into the ravine.
"They won't suspect we've doubled on them until it is too late," said
Alan exultantly. "We'll make for the kloof. Stampede and the herdsmen
should arrive within a few hours, and when that happens--"
A stifled moan interrupted him. Half a dozen paces away a crumpled
figure lay huddled against one of the corral gates.
"He is hurt," whispered Mary, after a moment of silence.
"I hope so," replied Alan pitilessly. "It will be unfortunate for us if
he lives to tell his comrades we have passed this way."
Something in his voice made the girl shiver. It was as if the vanishing
point of mercy had been reached, and savages were at their backs. She
heard the wounded man moan again as they stole through the deeper
shadows of the corrals toward the nigger-head bottom. And then she
noticed that the mist was no longer in her face. The sky was clearing.
She could see Alan more clearly, and when they came to the narrow trail
over which they had fled once before that night it reached out ahead of
them like a thin, dark ribbon.
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