Then he continued:
“Let him go, poor devil, but sooner or later his time will come. Now to release the prisoners.”
Quickly retracing his way toward the camp fire, the scout soon stood in the presence of the prisoners, saying, in a pleasant voice:
“Cheer up, my friends, for I have charge of this ranch now.”
“Oh, sir, you are very, very brave and noble, and you have saved us,” cried the girl, seizing his hands, as soon as her own were released from their bonds.
“And I offer my thanks, sir, for I thought it all up with us,” said the girl’s companion.
Both of them gazed earnestly into the face of the splendid-looking man before them, who replied:
“No thanks for performing one’s duty; but you are not safe yet, for there may be more redskins about, so we’ll get away from here at once. You are not too tired to stand a rapid gallop, miss?”
“Oh, no, sir,” she answered eagerly, “and it cannot be far to the wagon train, for we only left it about an hour before sunset.”
“On what trail were you, can I ask?”