Dave looked at the two stones between which the man's foot was wedged.

Then with a heavy tree branch, inserted in such a way as not to bring any crushing force on the stranger's leg, Dave used the branch as a lever and pressed down with all his might.

"It's giving!" the man cried. "I can feel it giving!"

"Look out for yourself!" Dave shouted.

Once more he pressed down hard on the tree lever.

The rocks were pried apart. The man's foot slipped free. Dave, seeing this, dropped the branch, made a grab for the leg, for the man's body was going over the cliff. Of course he could not fall _far_, as the rope would hold him, but Dave wanted to save him this jerk if possible.

The young cowboy caught the stranger's boot. Dave was aware of a cry of pain from the man, and realized that the ankle must be severely injured.

"I can't help it," thought Dave, grimly. "I've got to hurt him some to save him more," and he held on desperately.

Dave was strong, and the man, now that his foot was free, was able to use his hands to push himself back, up over the edge of the cliff. After a few seconds of rather strenuous struggle Dave, with the help of the man himself, was able to get him to a sitting position on the edge of the cliff that overhung the gully.

The man was pale, and his face was scratched and bleeding. His clothing was disheveled, and he showed many signs of the struggle through which he had gone.

"Thank--thanks," he gasped, weakly.

"Now don't try to talk until you get your breath," Dave advised him.

"Here, drink some of this. It's warm, but it's wet."

Dave carried with him a water canteen, and this he now put to the lips of the man. The latter drank greedily.

"That's good," he whispered. He lay back weakly, Dave supporting him in his arms. The man's eyes closed, and Dave feared he was about to faint.

Quickly the young cowboy whipped off his coat, and folding it in pillow shape, put it on the rocks, and laid the man's head down on it.

The stranger opened his eyes.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "I'm not going to die. I'm just getting my breath back. I was hanging there a good while I guess."

He closed his eyes again, and moved his foot--the one that had been caught between the rocks.

A groan came through his clenched teeth and tightly pressed lips, and, accompanied by a sudden wave of whiteness that made his face paler than before, a shudder pa.s.sed over him.

"He's fainted this time, for keeps," decided Dave, grimly.

CHAPTER VIII

MR. BELLMORE

Dave Carson had some knowledge of rough and ready first-aid work. There was often occasion for it on the ranch, and though fainting men were not common sights, still, now and again, such a contingency would arise.

Cowboys often get severely hurt, and it is not always within the nerve power of a man to hold back when a deathly faintness overcomes him.

"I've got to get help to tote you back to the ranch," Dave said, as he sprinkled some water from his canteen in the face of the stranger.

"You've got to be looked after. Maybe the ankle's broken."

He glanced at the injured foot, but did not offer to touch it, for he knew how sensitive it must be, when even a slight movement sent the man off in a faint.

The water had the desired effect, or perhaps the faint was only a slight one, for presently the man opened his eyes, looked about him in some wonder, and murmured:

"Oh, I remember now. Was it last year I tried to fall over the cliff?" He smiled wanly.

"No, it was only a little while ago-or at least it was only a little while ago that I pulled you back," Dave said. "I don't know how long you had been hanging there, though."

"It seemed ten years," was the answer given with another wan smile. "Well, what's the next move? I hope it isn't mine, for I don't know how I can manage it. My ankle is either broken, or badly sprained."

"I'm afraid so," Dave answered. "Now I don't know where you came from, or where you're going, but our ranch--Bar U--is the nearest place you can get help. I can put you on my horse--I guess I can manage that--and walk with you, but it will take a long time. Crow won't carry double, I'm afraid.

Certainly not with the way I'd have to put you on."

"I had a horse," said the stranger. "He can't have gone very far. I left him beside the trail while I came in here to look about. He must have wandered off a way."

"A horse!" cried Dave, eagerly. "That's good, if I can find him. We'll not have any trouble getting you to the ranch in that case, Mr.--er--"

Dave paused significantly, adding, after a moment's thought:

"My names is Dave--Dave Carson." He had hesitated, and then quickly reflected that this was no time to enter into explanations about his lack of parentage. "My father, Randolph Carson, owns Bar U ranch."

"Yes, I have heard of him," the man said. "In fact I was going to call on him within a few days in regard to a certain matter. I am afraid I can't reach my card case, but my name is Bellmore--Benjamin Bellmore. I'm from Chicago, but I'm out here representing the Rolling Valley Water Company."

"Never heard of them," Dave said. "They don't deal in cattle; do they?"

"No, they hope to deal in water; that is later on. But I'll go into details after a bit."

"Pardon me, Mr. Bellmore!" burst out Dave. "Here I am keeping you talking, when I ought to be looking for your animal, and helping you to our ranch.

I don't know what's got into me. But I just had some trouble with a bunch of our cattle, and I guess I'm thinking of that yet.

"I was on my way to the ranch to get help, when I took this short cut and heard you call. I'll go and see if I can find your horse. If I can't we'll use mine, and I can walk. It won't be the first time, though we cowpunchers are more used to a saddle than we are to our own legs."

He gave Mr. Bellmore another drink from the canteen, and then seeing that the man was as comfortable as possible under the circ.u.mstances, went back to the trail to look for the missing horse. Dave saw his own steed contentedly munching some of the scanty herbage, &and, speaking to him, pa.s.sed on.

Reaching a point where he could look down into the valley below, Dave peered long and earnestly for a sight of a riderless horse. To his delight he saw the animal almost at once.

"Well, you didn't run far," he murmured, "and if you don't get a tantrum, and gallop off when I come up, I'll soon have you."

Going back to where he had left Mr. Bellmore, Dave reported:

"Your horse is down in the valley. I'll jump on mine and try to catch him for you. If I can, we'll not have any trouble, and I'll soon have you at our ranch."

"Thanks," murmured the representative of the water company. "His name is Kurd," he added. "My horse's, I mean," he explained, with a smile. "He generally comes when I call him, but here are some lumps of sugar I give him. He'll be sure to come if you hold these out to him."

Dave took the sweets, which Mr. Bellmore extracted from his pocket, and hurried back to where he had left Crow. A moment later Dave was moving off down the trail toward the valley.