“Oh, you’re all right, thank goodness,” she gasped. “When I heard that scream I was frightened nearly out of my wits.”
“I saw someone moving in the bushes!” Helena reported.
“Where?”
Helena pointed to a group of shrubs some distance above them. Connie knew that it would be impossible to reach the spot without a dangerous climb. Unarmed, she had no desire to investigate.
“Let’s get away from here,” Cecil urged. “You can’t hope to learn the identity of that prowler.”
Connie did not mention that already she had gained an important clue. She felt certain the knife belonged to Jim Barrows. But why would he be investigating the cliff dwellings? Was it possible that he was living in one of the kivas, hiding there in fear that the law would overtake him?
She hesitated, wondering if she ought not to go back and make a thorough search. Helena read her thought and grasped her by the hand.
“Do let’s go away from here,” she pleaded. “Cecil and I were wrong about wishing to come in the first place. Please don’t go back into that dark hole under the cliff. Something dreadful might happen.”
“All right, we’ll return to the ranch,” Connie said. “I doubt that we could learn anything to-night anyway.”
“Who do you think was hiding in those bushes?” Cecil asked nervously as they mounted their horses.