A man on horseback was seen pounding up the trail at a fast pace.
"It's the doc!" announced the mountain girl.
"Hippy! Where's Hippy?" gasped Nora.
"Keep steady," urged Grace, as they got up and walked out to meet the doctor in front of the cabin.
"Are you the doctor?" asked Elfreda as he rode up and swung a hand to them.
"Yes."
"Where did you leave Lieutenant Wingate?" asked Grace.
"About ten miles down the trail. I got here as quickly as possible. To be brief, we were attacked from ambush. The lieutenant's horse was shot from under him. We both began shooting, but he yelled to me, 'Go on, Doc. They need you at Thompson's. I'll get out of it somehow.'
"Well, I saw that he was right, so I rode for keeps till I got out of range of the bullets. Lively neighborhood up here, eh? I'll see the patients, if you please."
Elfreda conducted the doctor into the cabin, Grace remaining to comfort Nora and to consider what was best to be done in the circumstances. Nora was urging her to start out in search of Hippy, but Grace pointed out that they were as likely to miss as to find him, and that the best course appeared to be to wait until later in the day, then, should Lieutenant Wingate not return, a searching party must be organized to go out for him. Grace then entered the cottage and the girls led Nora out to the shady side of the barn where they consoled her as best they could.