n-faced Kennedy, whose profanity
could not be restrained, and whose sole happiness was found in an ample
supply of tobacco; who persistently saw only the dark side of things,
yet who was ever competent, tireless, and full of resource; but most of
all on Eloise, her patient, trustful eyes following my every movement,
uncomplaining, cheerful, with a smile for every hardship, a bright word
of hope for every obstacle. In the darkness of night travel, when no
eye could see her, she might droop from weariness, clinging to her
pommel to keep in the saddle, yet it was always her voice which revived
courage, and inspired new endeavor.

The way was generally rough and puzzling, bringing before us no
familiar landmarks by which to guide our course. My map proved utterly
useless, confusing me by its wrong location of streams, and its
inaccuracy in the estimation of distances. We must have wandered far
to the north from our direct course, led astray in the dark, and by our
desire to advance swiftly. For there soon came to us warning signs
that we were indeed being pursued; and some evidence also that we were
even within Indian territory. Once we beheld from an eminence the wisp
of a camp fire far in our rear, a mere misty curl of smoke showing
against the distant blue of the sky. And once, from out the shadow of
a grove, we stared perplexed across a wide valley, to where appeared a
dim outline of bluffs, and watched a party of five horsemen creep
slowly along their summit, too far away to be recognized--mere black
dots, we could not identify as either white men, or red.

But the savages had left their unmistakable mark for our finding. It
was in the early twilight of the second day, the western sky already
purple with the last fading colors, the prairie before us showing in
patches of green and brown. To our left was a thick wood, even then
grown gloomy and dark in shadows, and slightly in advance of us Kennedy
rode alone, hopeful of thus dislodging some wild animal. I could see
the gleam of the pistol in his hand, held in instant readiness, cocked
and primed. Suddenly he drew rein, and then, turning his horse's head
sharply, advanced cautiously toward the miniature forest, leaning
forward to gaze intently at something unseen from where we were. I
halted the others in a thrill of expectancy, anticipating the report of
his weapon, and hopeful of a successful shot. He halted his horse,
which pawed restlessly, and sat moti