n just at dusk I saw a band of Indians approaching. To prevent them
coming near, I ordered my men to mount and ride forward, while your
sister and Rachel remained, as I hoped, concealed from view. The
Indians retreated to some distance, and I was induced to follow. They
then halted and made signs of friendship, which tempted me to go still
nearer. Suddenly, however, as I was about to inquire who they were, and
where they were going, they set upon me and my men, without the
slightest warning, and before we could even draw our swords or pistols
we were dragged from our horses, and our arms bound behind us. At first
I thought that our captors must be Arrapahas; but looking again at their
costume, I was sure that they were Kaskaskias, belonging to a friendly
tribe. In vain I expostulated, and tried to explain who we were; but
they did not understand me, mistaking us, I believe, for some of the
Mexicans who had accompanied the Arrapahas; at all events, we were
dragged ignominiously along, neither food nor water being given us."

I at once told the chief what the lieutenant had said. He was very
indignant with his people, but explained that the whole had happened by
mistake.

Our first thought, of course, was to discover Clarice and Rachel. The
lieutenant himself was eager to start immediately, but he was evidently
too weak for the undertaking, and was at once led to the chief's tent,
where Maysotta hurried to attend on him, while some of the older squaws
took care of his two troopers.

Maysotta immediately brought him food and water. "Eat," she said; "the
`Fair Lily' is my friend as well as yours; I am as anxious as you are to
find her. As soon as you are rested we will set out. Were you to go
now, you would faint by the way."

I was standing outside the entrance to the tent while Maysotta was
speaking to the lieutenant, and it struck me, from her looks and tone of
voice, that she felt a warm interest in the young lieutenant, which
might, I feared, prove inconvenient, if it had not worse consequences.

I was watching the Indians, who, having lost their white prisoners, had
now brought forward their Redskin captives, and were dancing a horrible
war-dance round them. Their appearance on ordinary occasions was
somewhat savage, but they looked ten times more savage now, as they
shrieked, and leaped, and tossed their arms and legs about, and went
round and round, flourishing their tomahawks, and jeering at the
un