Boylewasneitherahard-heartednoranundulysensitiveman。Hisvocationhadbroughthimperilenoughbylandandwater；hehadoftenrenderedvaluableassistancetoothers，hissympathyneverconfusinghisdirectnessandcommonsense。Hewassorryforthesetwomen，andwouldhavefoughttosavethem。Buthehadnoimaginativeideasofdeath。Andhiskeenperceptionofthetruthwasconsequentlysensitivelyaliveonlytothatgrotesquenessofaspectwhichtoooftenthehaplessvictimsofviolenceareapttoassume。Hesawnoagonyinthevacanteyesofthetwomenlyingontheirbacksinapparentlythecomplacentabandonmentofdrunkenness，whichwasfurthersimulatedbytheirtumbledanddisorderedhairmattedbycoagulatedblood，which，however，hadlostitssanguinecolor。Hethoughtonlyoftheunsuspectinggirlsittinginthelonelycoach，andhurriedlydraggedthemfurtherintothebushes。Indoingthishediscoveredaloadedrevolverandaflaskofspiritswhichhadbeenlyingunderthem，andpromptlysecuredthem。Afewpacesawaylaythecovetedtrunksofarmsandammunition，theirlidswrenchedoffandtheircontentsgone。Henoticedwithagrimsmilethathisowntrunksofsampleshadsharedalikefate，butwasdelightedtofindthatwhilethebrightertrifleshadattractedtheIndians’childishcupiditytheyhadoverlookedaheavyblackmerinoshawlofacheapbutserviceablequality。ItwouldhelptoprotectMissCantirefromtheeveningwind，whichwasalreadyrisingoverthechillandstarkplain。Italsooccurredtohimthatshewouldneedwaterafterherparchedjourney，andheresolvedtolookforaspring，beingrewardedatlastbyatricklingrillneartheambushcamp。Buthehadnoutensilexceptthespiritflask，whichhefinallyemptiedofitscontentsandreplacedwiththepurewater——aheroicsacrificetoatravelerwhoknewthecomfortofastimulant。Heretracedhissteps，andwasjustemergingfromthethicketwhenhisquickeyecaughtsightofamovingshadowbeforehimclosetotheground，whichsetthehotbloodcoursingthroughhisveins。
　　ItwasthefigureofanIndiancrawlingonhishandsandkneestowardsthecoach，scarcelyfortyyardsaway。ForthefirsttimethatafternoonBoyle’scalmgood-humorwasoversweptbyablindandfuriousrage。Yeteventhenhewassaneenoughtorememberthatapistolshotwouldalarmthegirl，andtokeepthatweaponasalastresource。Foraninstanthecreptforwardassilentlyandstealthilyasthesavage，andthen，withasuddenbound，leapeduponhim，drivinghisheadandshouldersdownagainsttherocksbeforehecouldutteracry，andsendingthescalpingknifehewascarryingbetweenhisteethflyingwiththeshockfromhisbatteredjaw。Boyleseizedit——hiskneestillintheman’sback——buttheprostratebodynevermovedbeyondaslightcontractionofthelowerlimbs。TheshockhadbrokentheIndian’sneck。Heturnedtheinertmanonhisback——theheadhunglooselyontheside。ButinthatbriefinstantBoylehadrecognizedthe“friendly“Indianofthestationtowhomhehadgiventhecard。
　　Herosedizzilytohisfeet。Thewholeactionhadpassedinafewsecondsoftime，andhadnotevenbeennoticedbythesoleoccupantofthecoach。Hemechanicallycockedhisrevolver，butthemanbeneathhimnevermovedagain。Neitherwasthereanysignofflightorreinforcementfromthethicketaroundhim。Againthewholetruthflasheduponhim。Thisspyandtraitorhadbeenleftbehindbythemarauderstoreturntothestationandavertsuspicion；hehadbeenlurkingaround，butbeingwithoutfirearms，hadnotdaredtoattackthepairtogether。
　　ItwasamomentortwobeforeBoyleregainedhisusualelasticgood-humor。Thenhecoollyreturnedtothespring，“washedhimselfoftheIndian，“ashegrimlyexpressedittohimself，brushedhisclothes，pickeduptheshawlandflask，andreturnedtothecoach。
　　Itwasgettingdarknow，buttheglowofthewesternskyshoneunimpededthroughthewindows，andthesilencegavehimagreatfear。Hewasrelieved，however，onopeningthedoor，tofindMissCantiresittingstifflyinacorner。“IamsorryIwassolong，“
　　hesaid，apologeticallytoherattitude，“but“——
　　“Isupposeyoutookyourowntime，“sheinterruptedinavoiceofinjuredtolerance。“Idon’tblameyou；anything’sbetterthanbeingcoopedupinthistiresomestageforgoodnessknowshowlong！“
　　“Iwashuntingforwater，“hesaidhumbly，“andhavebroughtyousome。“Hehandedhertheflask。
　　“AndIseeyouhavehadawash，“shesaidalittleenviously。“Howspickandspanyoulook！Butwhat’sthematterwithyournecktie？“
　　Heputhishandtohisneckhurriedly。Hisnecktiewasloose，andhadtwistedtoonesideinthestruggle。Hecoloredquiteasmuchfromthesensitivenessofastudiouslyneatmanasfromthefearofdiscovery。“Andwhat’sthat？“sheadded，pointingtotheshawl。
　　“OneofmysamplesthatIsupposewasturnedoutofthecoachandforgotteninthetransfer，“hesaidglibly。“Ithoughtitmightkeepyouwarm。“
　　Shelookedatitdubiouslyandlaiditgingerlyaside。“Youdon’tmeantosayyougoaboutwithsuchthingsOPENLY？“shesaidquerulously。
　　“Yes；onemustn’tloseachanceoftrade，youknow，“heresumedwithasmile。
　　“Andyouhaven’tfoundthisjourneyveryprofitable，“shesaiddryly。“Youcertainlyaredevotedtoyourbusiness！“Afterapause，discontentedly:“It’squitenightalready——wecan’tsithereinthedark。“
　　“Wecantakeoneofthecoachlampsinside；they’restillthere。
　　I’vebeenthinkingthematterover，andIreckonifweleaveonelightedoutsidethecoachitmayguideyourfriendsback。“HeHAD
　　consideredit，andbelievedthattheaudacityoftheact，coupledwiththeknowledgetheIndiansmusthaveofthepresenceofthesoldiersinthevicinity，woulddeterratherthaninvitetheirapproach。
　　Shebrightenedconsiderablywiththecoachlampwhichhelitandbroughtinside。Byitslightshewatchedhimcuriously。Hisfacewasslightlyflushedandhiseyesverybrightandkeenlooking。
　　Mankilling，exceptwitholdprofessionalhands，hasthedisadvantageofaffectingthecirculation。
　　ButMissCantirehadnoticedthattheflasksmeltofwhiskey。Thepoormanhadprobablyfortifiedhimselffromthefatiguesoftheday。
　　“Isupposeyouaregettingboredbythisdelay，“shesaidtentatively。
　　“Notatall，“hereplied。“Wouldyouliketoplaycards？I’vegotapackinmypocket。Wecanusethemiddleseatasatable，andhangthelanternbythewindowstrap。“
　　Sheassentedlanguidlyfromthebackseat；hewasonthefrontseat，withthemiddleseatforatablebetweenthem。FirstMr。
　　Boyleshowedhersometrickswiththecardsandkindledhermomentaryandflashinginterestinamysteriouslyevokedbutevanescentknave。Thentheyplayedeuchre，atwhichMissCantirecheatedadorably，andMr。Boylelostgameaftergameshamelessly。
　　ThenonceortwiceMissCantirewasfaintoputhercardstohermouthtoconcealanapologeticyawn，andherblue-veinedeyelidsgrewheavy。WhereuponMr。Boylesuggestedthatsheshouldmakeherselfcomfortableinthecornerofthecoachwithasmanycushionsasshelikedandthedespisedshawl，whilehetookthenightairinaprowlaroundthecoachandalookoutforthereturningparty。Doingso，hewasdelighted，afteraturnortwo，tofindherasleep，andsoreturnedcontentedlytohissentryround。
　　Hewassomedistancefromthecoachwhenalowmoaningsoundinthethicketpresentlyincreaseduntilitroseandfellinaprolongedhowlthatwasrepeatedfromthedarkenedplainsbeyond。Herecognizedthevoiceofwolves；heinstinctivelyfeltthesickeningcauseofit。Theyhadscentedthedeadbodies，andhenowregrettedthathehadlefthisownvictimsonearthecoach。Hewashasteningthitherwhenacry，thistimehumanandmoreterrifying，camefromthecoach。HeturnedtowardsitasitsdoorflewopenandMissCantirecamerushingtowardhim。Herfacewascolorless，hereyeswildwithfear，andhertall，slimfiguretrembledconvulsivelyasshefranticallycaughtatthelapelsofhiscoat，asiftohideherselfwithinitsfolds，andgaspedbreathlessly，——
　　“Whatisit？Oh！Mr。Boyle，saveme！“
　　“Theyarewolves，“hesaidhurriedly。“Butthereisnodanger；
　　theywouldneverattackyou；youweresafewhereyouwere；letmeleadyouback。“
　　Butsheremainedrootedtothespot，stillclingingdesperatelytohiscoat。“No，no！“shesaid，“Idarenot！Iheardthatawfulcryinmysleep。Ilookedoutandsawit——adreadfulcreaturewithyelloweyesandtongue，andasickeningbreathasitpassedbetweenthewheelsjustbelowme。Ah！What’sthat？“andsheagainlapsedinnervousterroragainsthim。
　　Boylepassedhisarmaroundherpromptly，firmly，masterfully。Sheseemedtofeeltheimpliedprotection，andyieldedtoitgratefully，withthefurtherbreakdownofasob。“Thereisnodanger，“herepeatedcheerfully。“Wolvesarenotgoodtolookat，Iknow，buttheywouldn’thaveattackedyou。Thebeastonlyscentssomecarrionontheplain，andyouprobablyfrightenedhimmorethanhedidyou。Leanonme，“hecontinuedashersteptottered；
　　“youwillbebetterinthecoach。“
　　“Andyouwon’tleavemealoneagain？“shesaidinhesitatingterror。
　　“No！“
　　Hesupportedhertothecoachgravely，gently——hermasterandstillmorehisownforallthatherbeautifulloosenedhairwasagainsthischeekandshoulder，itsperfumeinhisnostrils，andthecontourofherlitheandperfectfigureagainsthisown。Hehelpedherbackintothecoach，withtheaidofthecushionsandshawlarrangedarecliningcouchforheronthebackseat，andthenresumedhisoldplacepatiently。Bydegreesthecolorcamebacktoherface——asmuchofitaswasnothiddenbyherhandkerchief。
　　Thenatremulousvoicebehinditbeganahalf-smotheredapology。
　　“IamSOashamed，Mr。Boyle——Ireallycouldnothelpit！Butitwassosudden——andsohorrible——Ishouldn’thavebeenafraidofithaditbeenreallyanIndianwithascalpingknife——insteadofthatbeast！Idon’tknowwhyIdidit——butIwasalone——andseemedtobedead——andyouweredeadtooandtheywerecomingtoeatme！
　　Theydo，youknow——yousaidsojustnow！PerhapsIwasdreaming。
　　Idon’tknowwhatyoumustthinkofme——IhadnoideaIwassuchacoward！“
　　ButBoyleprotestedindignantly。HewassureifHEhadbeenasleepandhadnotknownwhatwolveswerebefore，hewouldhavebeenequallyfrightened。Shemusttrytogotosleepagain——hewassureshecould——andhewouldnotstirfromthecoachuntilshewaked，orherfriendscame。