“Well, she can’t, so far as I’m concerned, as I don’t know her address.  But think a moment; you know and I know—­Hold on, wait!” And Drummond rose and tiptoed to a cleft in the rock through which shone a dim light; it was the entrance to the remote inner cave where the Harvey girls were sleeping.  Assured that his words could reach there no listening ears, Drummond returned, kneeling again by the sergeant’s side.  “Just think, man; any moment after daybreak the Apaches may be upon us, and, who knows? it may be my last fight.  Of course I believe that our fellows can stand them off until rescue comes, but a bullet may find me any moment, and then who is there to report your conduct and secure the recognition due you, or, if the doctor should be late in coming and fever set in and this wound prove too much for your strength, is there nothing that ought to be said to her for you?”

Again only painful silence.  At last Wing spoke.

“I understand.  I appreciate all you say.  But I’ve got to think it over, lieutenant.  Give me an hour or so.  Don’t ask me to tell you now.”

“So be it, man.  Now rest all you possibly can.  It’s almost day.  The crags are beginning to light up back of us here already.  Yes, and the sentry’s calling me now.  I’ll be back by and by.  What is it, Patterson?” he whispered, going to the mouth of the cave.

“I’ve just come down from the tree up there, sir.  You can see quite a ways down the range now, though the light is dim, and what I take to be a signal-fire leaped up not three miles below us, certainly this side of where Wing was shot.”

“So soon?  All right, then get back to the post just as quick as you can.  I’ll rouse the man who has slept longest.  All must be astir in half an hour, but you keep watch there.”

And half an hour later it is that, field-glass in hand, the young officer is there by Patterson’s side, peering eastward almost into the eye of the sun, searching with anxiety inexpressible for any sign of dust-cloud rising along the trail on which they came, for the sight he has seen down the range, now brilliant in the morning light, has filled his heart with the first real dread it has yet known.  In three places, not more than four or five miles apart, down along the sunlit side of this wild and picturesque mountain-chain, signal-smokes have been puffing straight up skyward, the nearest only a couple of miles from this lone picket post, but all on the same side of the valley.

Last evening the answer came from across the broad desert.  They have come over, therefore, and are hastening up the chain to join the eager advance here so close to their hiding-place.  Beyond a doubt watchful spies are already lurking among those heights to the west, striving to get close enough to peer into the rocky fortress and estimate the strength of the garrison.  Great they well know it cannot be, for did not their keen eyes count nearly twenty chasing those hated brigands far down towards Sonora