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erein these things could wholly control。 He felt life strong withing his breast； yet there； a step away； was death； yawning； glaring； smoky； red。 It was a momentan hour for a savage； born； bred； developed in this scarred and blasted place of jagged depths and red distances and silences never meant to be broken。 Since Gale was not a savage he fought that call of the red gods which sent him back down the long ages toward his primitive day。 His mind combated his sense of sight and the hearing that seemed useless； and his mind did not win all the victory。 Something fatal was here； hanging in the balance； as the red haze hung along the vast walls of that crater of hell。
Suddenly harsh； prolonged yells brought him to his feet； and the unrealities vanished。 Far down the trails where the crater rims closed in the deep fissure he saw moving forms。 They were three in number。 Two of them ran nimbly across the lava bridge。 The third staggered far behind。 It was Ladd。 He appeared hard hit。 He dragged at the heavy rifle which he seemed unable to raise。 The yells came from him。 He was calling the Yaqui。
Gale's heart stood still momentarily。 Here； then； was the catastrophe！ He hardly dared sweep that fissure with his glass。 The two fleeing figures haltedturned to fire at Ladd。 Gale recognized the foremost onesmall； compact； gaudy。 Rojas！ The bandit's arm was outstretched。 Puffs of white smoke rose； and shots rapped out。 When Ladd went down Rojas threw his gun aside and with a wild yell bounded over the lava。 His companion followed。
A tide of passion； first hot as fire； then cold as ice； rushed over Gale when he saw Rojas take the trail toward Mercedes's hiding…place。 The little bandit appeared to have the sure…footedness of a mountain sheep。 The Mexican following was not so sure or fast。 He turned back。 Gale heard the trenchant bark of the 。405。 Ladd was kneeling。 He shot againagain。 The retreating bandit seemed to run full into an invisible obstacle； then fell lax； inert； lifeless。 Rojas sped on unmindful of the spurts of dust about him。 Yaqui； high above Ladd； was also firing at the bandit。 Then both rifles were emptied。 Rojas turned at a high break in the trail。 He shook a defiant hand； and his exulting yell pealed faintly to Gale's ears。 About him there was something desperate； magnificent。 Then he clambered down the trail。
Ladd dropped the 。405； and rising； gun in hand； he staggered toward the bridge of lava。 Before he had crossed it Yaqui came bounding down the slope； and in one splendid leap he cleared the fissure。 He ran beyond the trail and disappeared on the lava above。 Rojas had not seen this sudden； darting move of the Indian。
Gale felt himself bitterly powerless to aid in that pursuit。 He could only watch。 He wondered； fearfully； what had become of Lash。 Presently； when Rojas came out of the cracks and ruts of lava there might be a chance of disabling him by a long shot。 His progress was now slow。 But he was making straight for Mercedes's hiding…place。 What was it leading him therean eagle eye； or hate； or instinct？ Why did he go on when there could be no turning back for him on that trail？ Ladd was slow； heavy； staggering on the trail； but he was relentless。 Only death could stop the ranger now。 Surely Rojas must have known that when he chose the trail。 From time to time Gale caught glimpses of Yaqui's dark figure stealing along the higher rim of the crater。 He was making for a point above the bandit。
Momentsendless moments dragged by。 The lowering sun colored only the upper half of the crater walls。 Far down the depths were murky blue。 Again Gale felt the insupportable silence。 The red haze became a transparent veil before his eyes。 Sinister； evil； brooding； waiting； seemed that yawning abyss。 Ladd staggered along the trail； at times he crawled。 The Yaqui gained； he might have had wings； he leaped from jagged crust to jagged crust； his sure…footedness was a wonderful thing。
But for Gale the marvel of that endless period of watching was the purpose of the bandit Rojas。 He had now no weapon。 Gale's glass made this fact plain。 There was death behind him； death below him； death before him； and though he could not have known it； death above him。 He never falterednever made a misstep upon the narrow； flinty trail。 When he reached the lower end of the level ledge Gale's poignant doubt became a certainty。 Rojas had seen Mercedes。 It was incredible； yet Gale believed it。 Then； his heart clamped as in an icy vise； Gale threw forward the Remington； and sinking on one knee； began to shoot。 He emptied the magazine。 Puffs of dust near Rojas did not even make him turn。
As Gale began to reload he was horror…stricken by a low cry from Thorne。 The cavalryman had recovered consciousness。 He was half raised； pointing with shaking hand at the opposite ledge。 His distended eyes were riveted upon Rojas。 He was trying to utter speech that would not come。
Gale wheeled； rigid now； steeling himself to one last forlorn hope that Mercedes could defend herself。 She had a gun。 He doubted not at all that she would use it。 But； remembering her terror of this savage； he feared for her。
Rojas reached the level of the ledge。 He halted。 He crouched。 It was the act of a panther。 Manifestly he saw Mercedes within the cave。 Then faint shots patted the air； broke in quick echo。 Rojas went down as if struck a heavy blow。 He was hit。 But even as Gale yelled in sheer madness the bandit leaped erect。 He seemed too quick； too supple to be badly wounded。 A slight； dark figure flashed out of the cave。 Mercedes！ She backed against the wall。 Gale saw a puff of whiteheard a report。 But the bandit lunged at her。 Mercedes ran； not to try to pass him； but straight for the precipice。 Her intention was plain。 But Rojas oustripped her； even as she reached the verge。 Then a piercing scream pealed across the cratera scream of despair。
Gale closed his eyes。 He could not bear to see more。
Thorne echoed Mercedes's scream。 Gale looked round just in time to leap and catch the cavalryman as he staggered； apparently for the steep slope。 And then； as Gale dragged him back； both fell。 Gale saved his friend； but he plunged into a choya。 He drew his hands away full of the great glistening cones of thorns。
〃For God's sake； Gale； shoot！ Shoot！ Kill her！ Kill her！。。。Can't yousee…Rojas〃
Thorne fainted。
Gale； stunned for the instant； stood with uplifted hands； and gazed from Thorne across the crater。 Rojas had not killed Mercedes。 He was overpowering her。 His actions seemed slow； wearing； purposeful。 Hers were violent。 Like a trapped she…wolf； Mercedes was fighting。 She tore； struggled； flung herself。
Rojas's intention was terribly plain。
In agony now； both mental and physical； cold and sick and weak； Gale gripped his rifle and aimed at the struggling forms on the ledge。 He pulled the trigger。 The bullet struck up a cloud of red dust close to the struggling couple。 Again Gale fired； hoping to hit Rojas； praying to kill Mercedes。 The bullet struck high。 A thirdfourthfifth time the Remington spokein vain！ The rifle fell from Gale's racked hands。
How horribly plain that fiend's intention！ Gale tried to close his eyes； but could not。 He prayed wildly for a sudden blindness to faint as Thorne had fainted。 But he was transfixed to the spot with eyes that pierced the red light。
Mercedes was growing weaker； seemed about to collapse。
〃Oh； Jim Lash； are you dead？〃 cried Gale。 〃Oh； Laddy！。。。Oh； Yaqui！
Suddenly a dark form literally fell down the wall behind the ledge where Rojas fought the girl。 It sank in a heap； then bounded erect。
〃Yaqui！〃 screamed Gale； and he waved his bleeding hands till the blood bespattered his face。 Then he choked。 Utterance became impossible。
The Indian bent over Rojas and flung him against the wall。 Mercedes； sinking back； lay still。 When Rojas got up the Indian stood between him and escape from the ledge。 Rojas backed the other way along the narrowing shelf of lava。 His manner was abject； stupefied。 Slowly he stepped backward。
It was then that Gale caught the white gleam of a knife in Yaqui's hand。 Rojas turned and ran。 He rounded a corner of wall where the footing was precarious。 Yaqui followed slowly。 His figure was dark and menacing。 But he was not in a hurry。 When he passed off the ledge Rojas was edging farther and farther along the wall。 He was clinging now to the lava； creeping inch by inch。 Perhaps he had thought to work around the buttress or climb over it。 Evidently he went as far as possible； and there he clung； an unscalable wall above； the abyss beneath。
The approach of the Yaqui was like a slow dark shadow of gloom。 If it seemed so to the stricken Gale what must it have been to Rojas？ He appeared to sink against the wall。 The Yaqui stole closer and closer。 He was the savage now； and for him the moment must have been glorified。 Gale saw him gaze up at the great circling walls of the crater； then down into the depths。 Perhaps the red haze hanging above him； or the purple haze below； or the deep caverns in the lava； held for Yaqui spirits of the desert； his gods to whom he called。 Perhaps