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226 "Then up with you!" said Stone. "Larkin, show 'em how. I'll get the grub. Hurry, they may be down on us."

The girls, lithe and boyish in their riding togs, nimbly mounted while Harvey, who was none too steady on his pins but protested his ability, helped Stone collect the food. Stone sent him up next, then bundled up the supplies and tied them to the ends of the doubled line. As he raised up from doing this a shot came from above just as a bullet spatted against the granite close to his ear. He wheeled, his revolver ready, but saw nothing.

"It was 'Ealy," shouted down Larkin. "Took a pot at yer. And I 'ad ter miss 'im. Come on hup. I'll cover yer. 'E's dodged horf."

Stone resisted the inclination to duel it out with Healy. Another shout warned him that the horsemen were coming out from the near-by butte and he swarmed up to the ledge and hauled after him the bundle of provisions.

"Take the girls back inside, Lefty," he said. "And look out for Harvey. I want to see what those devils are up to. And if Healy shows his dirty carcass, I'll plug him. He may try to get one of the horses. If he does I'll get him."

He lay down full length on the ledge, watching for a chance to shoot. But the attackers were wary of the fire that had disposed of a third of their number and rode quickly out of the angle of his aim. A touch came on his elbow and he looked up. It was Lola. Her face was powdered with desert dust but