At the foot of the trail were horses. Gagged and bound to his saddle Billy Porter sat in the moonlight with Molly on guard. Kut-le put Rhoda on a horse, then quickly thrust Porter to the ground, where the man sat helplessly.
"Oh, Billy!" cried Rhoda. "John is on the terrace! Find him! Help him!"
The last words were spoken as Kut-le turned her horse and led at a trot into the desert.
CHAPTER XX
THE RUINED MISSION
Rhoda was so confused that for a moment she could only ease herself to the pony's swift canter and wonder if her encounter with DeWitt had been but a dream after all. A short distance from the pueblo Kut-le rode in beside her. It was very dark, with the heavy blackness that just precedes the dawn, but Rhoda felt that the Indian was looking at her exultingly.
"It seemed as if I never would get Alchise and Injun Tom moved to a friend's campos so that I could overtake you. I will say that that fellow Porter is game to the finish. It took me an hour to subdue him! Now, don't worry about the two of them. With a little work they can loose themselves and help each other to safety. I saw Newman's trail ten miles or so over beyond the pueblo mesa and I told Porter just how to go to pick him up."
Rhoda laughed hysterically.
"No wonder you have such a hold on your Indians! You seem never to fail! I do believe as much of it is luck as ingenuity!"