ght their faces wore no
brightness of good news. Their greetings were quiet, sad, anxious, and
Jasper Kemp held out to Gardley an envelope. It was the one from
Margaret's mother's letter that she had dropped upon the trail.

"We found it on the way from Ganado, just as we entered Steamboat
Canon," explained Jasper.

"And didn't you search for a trail off in any other direction?" asked
Gardley, almost sharply. "They have not been here. At least only one
Indian has been down to the trader's."

"There was no other trail. We looked," said Jasper, sadly. "There was a
camp-fire twice, and signs of a camp. We felt sure they had come this
way."

Gardley shook his head and a look of abject despair came over his face.
"There is no sign here," he said. "They must have gone some other way.
Perhaps the Indian has carried her off. Are the other men following?"

"No, Rogers sent them in the other direction after his girl. They found
the camp all right. Bud tell you? We made sure we had found our trail
and would not need them."

Gardley dropped his head and almost groaned.

Meanwhile the missionary had been riding around in radiating circles
from the dead camp-fire, searching every step of the way; and Bud,
taking his cue from him, looked off toward the mesa a minute, then
struck out in a straight line for it and rode off like mad. Suddenly
there was heard a shout loud and long, and Bud came riding back, waving
something small and white above his head.

They gathered in a little knot, waiting for the boy, not speaking; and
when he halted in their midst he fluttered down the handkerchief to
Gardley.

"It's hers, all right. Gotter name all written out on the edge!" he
declared, radiantly.

The sky grew brighter to them all now. Eagerly Gardley sprang into his
saddle, no longer weary, but alert and eager for the trail.

"You folks better go down to the trader's and get some dinner. You'll
need it! Bud and I'll go on. Mrs. Brownleigh looks all in."

"No," declared Hazel, decidedly. "We'll just snatch a bite here and
follow you at once. I couldn't enjoy a dinner till I know she is safe."
And so, though both Jasper Kemp and her husband urged her otherwise, she
would take a hasty meal by the way and hurry on.

But Bud and Gardley waited not for others. They plunged wildly ahead.

It seemed a long way to the eager hunters, from the place where Bud had
found the handkerchief to the little note twisted around the red
chessman.