TRAILING A TRAIL.
Snowdrop, after she had left the scout, was obliged to ride very slowly
until she was over the rough hills, but after she had reached the open
prairie she increased the speed of her horse.
She was a fearless rider, but the long, treeless plain which lay
stretched out before her wore a dreary aspect, well calculated to
discourage her.
But her mission was one of life or death to her, and she undertook the
task.
The sun was just rising as she entered the plains, and putting her
tough pony to the run, she dashed ahead. She was doing all this for
what? Not for herself, for she would have preferred to remain with the
scout; nor yet for her father, for she did not think Red Pine would
spare him so long; but she was going just because the man she loved had
asked her to go!
Onward the brave girl urged her horse until the sun was nearly
overhead, still no signs of the Sioux. She paused a moment to allow her
horse a breathing-spell, and while resting she discovered a party of
horsemen on her trail, and though they were a long ways off, she knew
by the way in which they rode that they had a definite object, and that
that object was herself.
She was convinced that a long and tiresome race was before her; and,
having been reared to a life of peril and strategy, she allowed her
horse a long rest, that he might the better stand the race.
She displayed her good sense by removing the saddle from the horse, and
now, armed only with a small rifle, she sprung upon his back and put
him to his best speed.
On the brave girl rode--on, over the treeless and trackless waste, and
only at long intervals did a roll in the prairie obstruct her view of
her pursuers. At length she came to a small stream running at right
angles with the path she was pursuing, and here she paused again to
allow her horse to drink.
The advancing party, whoever they were, gained rapidly upon her, until
she could now count their number. There were twenty of them, all well
mounted, and by the manner in which they rode, she was no longer in
doubt as to their object.
Far ahead she saw a long, dark line of timber, just beyond which, she
knew, was the village of her people, and she thought if she could only
gain that, she would be safe; and she resolved to gain the shelter of
the forest, or die in the attempt.
Slowly but surely her pursuers gained upon her, and she could now hear
their yells. The sound maddened her, and the very thought of failure
made her heart sick; but she lashed her horse to renewed and desperate
efforts.
Her horse, too, seemed to partake of the same fear and feelings as his
mistress. A few rods more and she will be among the trees where she
trusted she could elude her pursuers.
Vain hope! Just as the goal is won her horse falls, and the blood
flowing from his dilated nostrils shows that he has ruptured a
blood-vessel. A shrill yell of triumph comes from her pursuers, yet
standing firm beside her dead horse, the brave Indian girl brings her
rifle to bear upon them.
Never did a stricken buck turn more fiercely at bay upon the dogs on
its track, than did Snowdrop when she found that she could not escape.
With Spartan firmness she held the short rifle, and when she thought
they were near enough, pulled the trigger, and the foremost Indian fell
from his saddle. She had not time to reload her rifle, but clubbing it,
she awaited the approach of the Sioux.
Short time was given her for thought, and she was almost immediately
surrounded and overpowered, but not until a brawny warrior had been
made to bite the dust at her feet.
She was lifted to the saddle made vacant by her shot, and the young
brave who seemed to be the leader took her bridle-rein, and they turned
to retrace their way across the prairie.
"Do you speak the language of the pale-faces?" asked the warrior.
"Yes," answered Snowdrop.
"Then tell me who you are, and what tribe you belong to."
"I am called Snowdrop, and my father is Gray Eagle, the great chief of
the Blackfeet."
"The White Wolf of the Pawnees has heard of Snowdrop before," he said.
"Are you White Wolf?" she asked.
"So I am called by both red men and white!" he replied.
"I have heard that White Wolf was a brave chief. If it is true, he will
not make war on a woman!"
"No. Snowdrop need not fear! White Wolf already loves her and will make
her his wife, for she is more beautiful than any woman of the Pawnee
tribe!"
"But Snowdrop loves another, and can not go to the lodge of White Wolf,
though he is a great brave and all the tribes fear him."
"White Wolf is in no hurry, and Snowdrop will learn to love him. We
will wait till we get to the village of the Pawnees, and then when
White Wolf asks her to be his wife she will say yes!"
"No, she will not; but if White Wolf loves Snowdrop, as he says he
does, then let him go and rescue her father from the hands of the
Sioux, for if he should die, then Snowdrop will die, too!"
"White Wolf will rescue Gray Eagle. Will Snowdrop tell him where her
father is?"
"In the forest beyond the big hills which I left when the sun rose."
"White Wolf will go there, and he will take Gray Eagle from the
cowardly Sioux, and when Snowdrop sees her father safe, then she will
consent to be the wife of the Pawnee chief."
Snowdrop did not promise that she would, neither did she say that she
would not; nor yet did she dare to tell him that the two scouts were
doing what he was trying to do.
She acted wisely and kept silence, which White Wolf construed in his
favor, and he said:
"We will go to our camp to the south, where I have a good place to
leave Snowdrop in safety, then White Wolf will go on the trail of the
Sioux. He will find them, and will bring the father of Snowdrop away
with him!"
"Let Snowdrop ride back with the Pawnee braves," she said.
"No," replied White Wolf; "the Pawnees will ride fast, and Snowdrop is
too tired. She must go to the camp of White Wolf, and stay until he
brings her father to her."
Snowdrop did not repeat her request, for she knew that it would do no
good, and that it would be a mere waste of words for her to do so. She
bowed her head in submission, and soon saw all but two of the Pawnees
start toward the west. The remaining two placed themselves upon each
side of her horse, and one of them taking her bridle-rein, they started
for the south.
* * * * *
When Jehiel took the trail of Snowdrop it was without much hope of
overtaking her, for he knew that the brave girl would ride fast when
she knew there was so much at stake, and she had a long ways the start
of him.
But he was better mounted than she, and had no difficulty in finding
and following her trail, and before noon he had her in sight.
He saw the party of horsemen come from the south and start in pursuit
of her, and by the aid of a powerful field-glass he saw her capture and
the manner in which she was disposed of, though he could not tell what
tribe had done it.
He saw when the party of which Snowdrop was one, left the main body and
started south, and he also saw the main body riding swiftly over the
back track.
He turned his horse to the right, and when the larger party had arrived
at the place where he left the trail, he was but a few miles away, and
it was with a grunt of satisfaction that he saw them pass on and ride
away toward the hills where he had left the scout.
Jehiel waited very patiently until they had passed out of sight, then
he found the trail of the party who had charge of Snowdrop, and he
started after her.
"Them fellers what has my gal will be mighty apt to meet with an
adventure afore mornin', or my name ain't Jehiel Filkins. Gosh! but I
wish I had the sweet critter in my arms this minnit! Wonder what Jemima
Brown will say when she hears I am married to jest the prettiest little
girl in America? Sartain, I hain't axed her yet, but I don't reckon she
would refuse such a good-looking fellow as me."
He was thus soliloquizing as he reached the woods, and here he stopped.
Finding a good place for his horse, he resumed his way on foot.
It was now nearly dark, and he was obliged to proceed cautiously,
imagining that the Indians might have seen him following after them.
Leaving the beaten trail he carefully worked his way through the
bushes, pausing occasionally to listen. No sound of falling hoofs was
to be heard, and he again crept on.
Proceeding in this manner for about half a mile he discovered the
glimmer of a camp-fire between the trees.
In the small opening three tired horses were leisurely feeding, while
the Indians were busily engaged in building a fire and preparing their
supper.
Snowdrop was sitting behind a tree with her hands and feet securely
bound, and an expression of deep anxiety upon her face.
As Jehiel gazed at the group, he thought how easy it would be to shoot
the two Indians, but he was not one to shed blood unnecessarily, and he
determined to wait. He must contrive some way to let the girl know of
his presence, but the question of how was a hard one to solve.
The trees surrounding the little camp were large, and the space open,
so that he could advance no nearer without betraying his presence.
He solved the problem in his own quaint way. Depositing his rifle at
the foot of the tree beside which he stood, he began to climb the tree.
Once among the branches, the foliage of which he found dense enough for
his purpose, he had no difficulty in making his way to the next nearest
tree.
Creeping along the branches as stealthily as a panther, he passed from
one tree to another until he found himself at the side of the opening,
and directly opposite the tree near which Snowdrop was seated.
He was in imminent danger of being discovered, but with an intrepidity
peculiar to the brave scout, he set about arranging his plans for the
future.