Jim yelled at her--threw her down on the seat. She felt the body of
the guard sink against her knees. Then she seemed to feel, to hear
through an icy, sickening terror.
A scattering volley silenced the guns above. Then came the pound of
hoofs, the snort of frightened horses.
"Jesse Smith! Stop!" called Jim, piercingly.
"Hold on thar, Beady!" replied a hoarse voice. "Damn if it ain't Jim
Cleve!"
"Ho, Gul!" yelled another voice, and Joan recognized it as Blicky's.
Then Jim lifted her head, drew her up. He was white with fear.
"Dear--are--you--hurt?"
"No. I'm only--scared," she replied.
Joan looked out to see bandits on foot, guns in hand, and others
mounted, all gathering near the coach. Jim opened the door, and,
stepping out, bade her follow. Joan had to climb over the dead
guard. The miner and the young man huddled down on their seat.
"If it ain't Jim an' Kells's girl--Dandy Dale!" ejaculated Smith.
"Fellers, this means somethin'. ... Say, youngster, hope you ain't
hurt--or the girl?"
"No. But that's not your fault," replied Cleve. "Why did you want to
plug the coach full of lead?"
"This beats me," said Smith. "Kells sent you out in the stage! But
when he gave us the job of holdin' it up he didn't tell us you'd be
in there. ... When an' where'd you leave him?"
"Sometime last night--in camp--near our cabin," replied Jim, quick
as a flash. Manifestly he saw his opportunity "He left Dandy Dale
with me. Told us to take the stage this morning. I expected him to
be in it or to meet us."
"Didn't you have no orders?"
"None, except to take care of the girl till he came. But he did tell
me he'd have more to say."
Smith gazed blankly from Cleve to Blicky, and then at Gulden, who
came slowly forward, his hair ruffed, his gun held low. Joan
followed the glance of his great gray eyes, and she saw the stage-
driver hanging dead over his seat, and the guards lying back of him.
The off-side horse of the leaders lay dead in his traces, with his
mate nosing at him.
"Who's in there?" boomed Gulden, and he thrust hand and gun in at
the stage door. "Come out!"
The young man stumbled out, hands above his head, pallid and
shaking, so weak he could scarcely stand.
Gulden prodded the bearded miner. "Come out here, you!"