At length, on the slope of the hill opposite, we saw a flock of sheep break suddenly into panic flight; and there appeared, crawling up the ascent, a body of horsemen, who, by the occasional glancing of the sun upon steel, we knew to be soldiers.
Whether they were the troops we sought, and whether amongst them they carried the captive maidens, 'twas too far to determine.

But at sight of them we plunged with new hope towards the valley.
Half-way down, in a wood, we found a wounded trooper prone on the ground and gasping for breath; while beside him grazed his horse.

He was bleeding from his side, and too faint to turn his head as we came up.
Our guide started as he saw him, and whispered: "This is one of Merriman's men." I knelt beside him and tried, in my clumsy way, to bind his wound, and help him back to life.

But 'twas plain we were all too late for that.
He lay gasping in my arms, his eyes, already glazed, looking vacantly skyward, and his arms feebly tossing in his battle for breath.

Twas no time for questions.