avoiding the risk. In silence the little party threaded
their way along the margin of the prairie, listening for the sounds they
dreaded to hear, and peering through the gloom for the forms they held
in unspeakable fear. Not until they had progressed several hundred yards
can it be said that the rancher breathed freely. Then he checked his
pony, and those behind him did the same.

The next instant he was out of the saddle, with his ear once more
against the cold earth.

Not the slightest sound reached him through this better conductor. If
the Sioux horsemen were moving, they were too far off for the fact to be
known. When first heard, they must have been close to the wood, on
reaching which they undoubtedly dismounted and advanced on foot.

In that event, they must detect the footprints of the ponies in advance,
and with their skill in trailing were certain to learn of the course
taken by the whites. Then the pursuit would be resumed in earnest, and
the perils would increase.

One possible remedy suggested itself, though there was no certainty of
its success. The snow was now falling so fast that it promised to
obliterate the footprints to that extent that they could not be followed
in the dark. As it was, even the lynx eyes of the Sioux could avail them
nothing. One of their number must be continually dismounting and using
his hands to make sure they were not off the track. A half hour or more
interval, and this resource would be taken from them by the descending
snow.

It was this belief which caused the rancher to ride Dick among the
trees, where he and the rest dismounted. Then they groped forward with
no little difficulty for some rods and halted.

"Be careful," he said, speaking particularly to Dot, "and do not make
any noise, for I believe those bad Indians are not far off, and they
are looking for us."

Dot showed her obedience by not venturing to whisper.

It was not Mr. Starr's purpose to lose time by staying where they were.
Accordingly, after threading their way for some distance farther, he
emerged once more on the plain, and, as they remounted, rode straight
away from the timber.

The object of this stratagem can be readily understood. The pursuing
Sioux, after discovering that the trail of the fugitives led along the
margin of the wood, were likely to override it for some way, before
learning the fact. Then they would turn about and hunt until they found
it again. The fact that at that point i