While Hippy and Stacy were building a fire, the two girls, Emma and Nora, got water to be heated. Grace bathed Miss Briggs’ feet in the hot water, for the injured girl was in a chill. A lump of sizable proportions had formed on her head. This was dressed by Grace, and in a short time Miss Briggs was asleep. Grace then stepped outside to her companions who were standing about the fire.
“Hasn’t Mr. White come in yet?” she demanded.
“I haven’t seen him. Has J. Elfreda said anything yet?” questioned Hippy.
“Not about what happened. If she awakens again, and is then able to talk, I will question her. Please let me know when Mr. White comes in.”
It was some time later when the guide returned. Elfreda had been awake from her brief sleep long enough to tell Grace what she knew of the occurrence.
“Mr. White, what do you know about this?” asked Grace.
“Not a thing. The first I knew of anything being wrong was when someone called, followed by a cry. I think it was Miss Briggs who first cried out.”
Grace nodded.
“As I got on my feet I saw a man running, and knowing that it could be none of our party running away, I fired at him. I don’t think I hit him. He returned the fire, but at that juncture Lieutenant Wingate began shooting. Lieutenant, I’ll say you aren’t slow about getting into action. It was bully. Then I chased the man and he and I both emptied our revolvers at each other. One of us hit him—”
“It was your shot, Ham,” interrupted Hippy. “I wasn’t shooting when he cried out.”