l give yer
a lectur' on trailin', ter pay fer yer killin' that Comanche last night;--
there they be agin, surer'n shootin'," exclaimed he, suddenly pausing,
and pointing to a dark spot far away on the prairie.

We had just reached the top of a long ridge that gave us an extensive
view of the country around; and far, very far in the distance, Jerry's
keen eyes had detected this moving object.

I brought my glasses to bear upon it, and could distinctly see a party of
three or four Indians, and some one who was dressed in skirts, like a
woman.

I remarked that I believed there was a woman with them, and Jerry, who
had been looking long and earnestly at the party, said,--

"Yes, there's six on 'em, and one hez got on a white woman's dress, ez
near ez I kin make out. We've hed 'bout 'nuff Comanche fightin', so far
ez I'm consarned; but ef them devils hev got a woman pris'ner, why we'd
be less than men not ter go arter her whatever happened. We kin head 'em
off easy enuff by riding along on this side the ridge; but we must stop
the wagons down in the holler there, so they won't see 'em."

After some little hesitation, caused by a reluctance to leave the wagons
in the unprotected situation that we should if we attempted to overtake
the Indians, we finally decided that common humanity required we should
rescue the woman, if it could be done; and, procuring a good supply of
ammunition, Jerry, myself, Hal, and one of the Mexicans started, leaving
Ned in charge of the wagons, with directions relative to camping for the
night in case we did not return before dark.

It was an oppressively warm day, and we had a ride of many miles before
us, ere we could hope to reach the point where we expected to intercept
the savages. We rode swiftly along over the beautiful green rolling
prairie, pausing for nothing, until Jerry proposed a halt for a few
moments, while he made a _reconnoissance_.

Approaching the top of a slight eminence, he dismounted, and carefully
picketing his horse, dropped upon his hands and knees, and stealthily
crept to the top. A single glance sufficed to show him the situation; and
he returned to us, vainly endeavoring to repress the excitement that was
plainly visible in every movement, as he said, in a low voice,--

"We kin ketch 'em, boys, sartin. It's a woman, for sure, riding on a
pony, with one of the varmints on each side of her; but we've got to
hurry some."

Then striking his spurs deep into his horse