There was a sound like a melon being struck, a shot, and a scream that did not sound human, or like anything any of them had heard before, and they had heard almost every animal sound native to Montana, as well as wherever they hailed from.

It was quiet, not a sound, the echo of the shot had since faded. the horses had reacted to both the shot and the scream but settled down while the men waited for whatever was about to happen, yet as the minutes passed all there was was silence.

"Light a torch." Dutch ordered.

"Got one!" Isner said, striking his flint and steel until the sparks caught the soaked end of the torch, and light from the flame showed Childers was down, his head bleeding. "Help me get him up, or over this gear."

When he lifted the man Childers was almost instantly hit by a pair of arrows in the chest, then another 'whoosh' of an arrow in flight followed by the scream of one of the horses who dropped with a loud thump as the other two whinnied in fright, broke the simple hobbles and ran off down the tunnel away from the men.

But there was nothing to shoot at as Dutch and Isner searched for a target. The torchlight was only so good, only illuminated so much of the darkness. Then, there was the sound of scrambling feet accompanied by the sound of a shower of rock and dirt, then quiet once more.

"Damn it!" Dutch shouted, as angry as Isner had ever seen him. "Okay, okay, we gotta get us outta here, the Injuns, er whatever they are'll be back, you can bet on it!" So the pair gabbed Childers under the arms, gun in Dutch's other hand, while Isner carried the torch as they labored forward towing Childers by his vest. "We get clear of this cave, we'll leave Childer here on the other side of the trees and ride for the ranch house!"

Isner grunted, if they got clear it would be a cold day in Hades before he went back, Lost Lake or not!

It took a while to finally catch up to the horses, luckily they were still with saddles and had been hobbled, except the hobbles gave. Regardless, they were a welcome sight for two tired men.

"We got nothing to make a travois out of, we get outside we'll leave him like I said and come back for him." Dutch reiterated. I'll take for a bit, then you pack him a while. We'll switch off, give the horses a bake that way."

"Alright Dutch, be the way to do it." Isner replied. "What sort'a Injuns you figger they were? Sioux?"

"I dunno, ain't seen many around these parts, at least not close by." Dutch replied. "Could be any of 'em, but they weren't about a fight 'er we'd've had our hands full, you can bet on that."

"Maybe we mount up an' head for daylight!" Isner suggested, "Get shut'a this place."

"Dern good idea," Dutch said as he walked to his horse and led it back to where Childers lay. "I'll mount and you hoist him up in front of me. Then we head on outta this place. Hard to believe there's Injuns about 'round here, but then I guess they stay to themselves we'd never know."

They got Childers up and on with Dutch then Isner mounted up and they started back the way they had come. Suddenly, behind them was a cry unlike any either had ever heard before, but one that sent chills down their backs, so they stepped up to a trot, not paring the horses any longer.

Whatever made that cry they did not care to confront it.

Clear of the tunnel, or cave, or whatever anyone wanted to call it, they stopped and let the body of Childers down and laid him under a tree, not that the weather would affect him any, but it had turned to a light mist that suggested it might get worse before it let up.

Both men donned their slickers even though they were already wet. Neither had spoken since they had heard the cry, which sounded somewhat similar to cougar. It had shaken both of them though neither wanted to admit it. It had been eerie, almost like a cougar, yet, nothing like the cat at all, just a similarity.

Dutch looked over at Isner, grim, angry, and wanting to get back at whatever had killed Childers. "We get back maybe we get some of the boys and see if we can't smoke out them injuns."

"You'd think the Lost Lake riders would have heard the shootin'." Isner said.

"I doubt they ever ride up that way very often 'er that opening we used would'a been blocked off, so they got themselves off that part and did whatever it was they do. But so far as they know about the tunnel an' them savages? Not a thing! Thet was a pure-d accident on our part, an' it cost us a good man!" Duch suggested. "Let's head back an get this stated."

They mounted up and spurred their hoses, heading for the Ranch proper.