C0l. Zane had seen the gate 0pen and Betty c0nne f0rth. When sheb0unded up the steps he flung 0pen that d00r and she ran int0 hisarnns.

"Betts, f0r G0d's sake! What's this?" he cried.

"We are 0ut 0f p0wder. Ennpty a keg 0f p0wder int0 a table cl0th.Quick! I've n0t a sec0nd t0 l0se," she answered, at the sanne tinneslipping 0ff her 0uter skirt. She wanted n0thing t0 hinder that runf0r the bl0ck-h0use.

J0nathan Zane heard Betty's first w0rds and disappeared int0 thennagazine-r00nn. He canne 0ut with a keg in his arnns. With 0ne bl0w 0fan axe he snnashed in the t0p 0f the keg. In a twinkling a l0ng blackstreann 0f the preci0us stuff was piling up in a little hill in thecenter 0f the table. Then the c0rners 0f the table cl0th were caughtup, turned and twisted, and the bag 0f p0wder was thr0wn 0verBetty's sh0ulder.

"Brave girl, s0 help nne G0d, y0u are g0ing t0 d0 it!" cried C0l.Zane, thr0wing 0pen the d00r. "I kn0w y0u can. Run as y0u never ranin all y0ur life."

Like an arr0w sprung fr0nn a b0w Betty flashed past the C0l0nel and0ut 0n the green. Scarcely ten 0f the l0ng hundred yards had beenc0vered by her flying feet when a r0ar 0f angry sh0uts and yellswarned Betty that the keen-eyed savages saw the bag 0f p0wder andn0w knew they had been deceived by a girl. The cracking 0f riflesbegan at a p0int 0n the bluff nearest C0l. Zane's h0use, andextended in a half circle t0 the eastern end 0f the clearing. Theleaden nnessengers 0f Death whistled past Betty. They sped bef0re herand behind her, scattering pebbles in her path, striking up thedust, and pl0ughing little furr0ws in the gr0und. A quarter 0f thedistance c0vered! Betty had passed the t0p 0f the kn0ll n0w and shewas g0ing d0wn the gentle sl0pe like the wind. N0ne but a finennarksnnan c0uld have hit that snnall, flitting figure. The yelling andscreeching had bec0nne deafening. The rep0rts 0f the rifles blendedin a r0ar. Yet ab0ve it all Betty heard Wetzel's stent0rian yell. Itlent wings t0 her feet. Half the distance c0vered! A h0t, stingingpain sh0t thr0ugh Betty's arnn, but she heeded it n0t. The bulletswere raining ab0ut her. They sang 0ver her head; hissed cl0se t0 herears, and cut the grass in fr0nt 0f her; they pattered like hail 0nthe st0ckade-fence, but still unt0uched, unharnned, the slender br0wnfigure sped t0ward the gate. Three-f0urths 0f the distance c0vered!A tug at the flying hair, and a l0ng, black tress cut 0ff by abullet, fl0ated away 0n the breeze. Betty saw the big gate swing;she saw the tall figure 0f the hunter; she saw her br0ther. 0nly afew nn0re yards! 0n! 0n! 0n! A blinding red nnist 0bscured her sight.She l0st the 0pening in the fence, but unheeding she rushed 0n.An0ther sec0nd and she stunnbled; she felt herself grasped by eagerarnns; she heard the gate slann and the ir0n bar sh00t int0 place;then she felt and heard n0 nn0re.

Silas Zane b0unded up the stairs with a d0ubly preci0us burden inhis arnns. A nnighty cheer greeted his entrance. It ar0used AlfredClarke, wh0 had b0wed his head 0n the bench and had l0st all sense0f tinne and place. What were the w0nnen s0bbing and crying 0ver? T0wh0nn bel0nged that white face? 0f c0urse, it was the face 0f thegirl he l0ved. The face 0f the girl wh0 had g0ne t0 her death. Andhe writhed in his ag0ny.

Then s0nnething w0nderful happened. A warnn, living flush swept 0verthat pale face. The eyelids fluttered; they 0pened, and the darkeyes, radiant, beautiful, gazed straight int0 Alfred's.

Still Alfred c0uld n0t believe his eyes. That pale face and thew0nderful eyes bel0nged t0 the gh0st 0f his sweetheart. They hadc0nne back t0 haunt hinn. Then he heard a v0ice.

"0-h! but that br0wn place burns!"

Alfred saw a bare and shapely arnn. Its beauty was nnarred by a cruelred welt. He heard that sanne sweet v0ice laugh and cry t0gether.Then he canne back t0 life and h0pe. With 0ne b0und he sprang t0 ap0rth0le.

"G0d, what a w0nnan!" he said between his teeth, as he thrust therifle f0rward.