The store of provisions grew low, and Joan began to face another
serious situation. Deer and rabbit were plentiful in the canon, but
she could not kill one with a revolver. She thought she would be
forced to sacrifice one of the horses. The fact that Kells suddenly
showed a craving for meat brought this aspect of the situation to a
climax. And that very morning while Joan was pondering the matter
she saw a number of horsemen riding up the canon toward the cabin.
At the moment she was relieved, and experienced nothing of the dread
she had formerly felt while anticipating this very event.
"Kells," she said, quickly, "there are men riding up the trail."
"Good," he exclaimed, weakly, with a light on his drawn face.
"They've been long in--getting here. How many?"
Joan counted them--five riders, and several pack-animals.
"Yes. It's Gulden."
"Gulden!" cried Joan, with a start.
Her exclamation and tone made Kells regard her attentively.
"You've heard of him? He's the toughest nut--on this border. ... I
never saw his like. You won't be safe. I'm so helpless. ... What to
say--to tell him! ... Joan, if I should happen to croak--you want
to get away quick ... or shoot yourself."
How strange to hear this bandit warn her of peril the like of which
she had encountered through him! Joan secured the gun and hid it in
a niche between the logs. Then she looked out again.
The riders were close at hand now. The foremost one, a man of
Herculean build, jumped his mount across the brook, and leaped off
while he hauled the horse to a stop. The second rider came close
behind him; the others approached leisurely, with the gait of the
pack-animals.
"Ho, Kells!" called the big man. His voice had a loud, bold,
sonorous kind of ring.
"Reckon he's here somewheres," said the other man, presently.
"Sure. I seen his hoss. Jack ain't goin' to be far from thet hoss."
Then both of them approached the cabin. Joan had never before seen
two such striking, vicious-looking, awesome men. The one was huge--
so wide and heavy and deep-set that he looked short--and he
resembled a gorilla. The other was tall, slim, with a face as red as
flame, and an expression of fierce keenness. He was stoop
shouldered, yet he held his head erect in a manner that suggested a
wolf scenting blood.
"Someone here, Pearce," boomed the big man.
"Why, Gul, if it ain't a girl!"
Joan moved out of the shadow of the wall of the cabin, and she
pointed to the prostrate figure on the blankets.