ity of a few raiders hiding
along the trace, determined to strengthen their medicine with more white
scalps. But never once did I count in favor of the girl Dale's boasted
friendship with the Shawnees. Even my most visionary listing of assets
could not include that. I made a night-camp half-way across the mountains
and dined on cold provisions procured from the Greenwoods.

The morning brought optimism. By this time the girl was safe in the Davis
cabin. I finished my prepared food and resumed my journey. I had covered a
mile when a mounted figure turning a twist in the trace ahead sent me to
the ground. The two of us struck the ground at about the same moment. Our
rifles slid across the saddles as if we were puppets worked by the same
string. Then a voice called out:

"I won't shoot if you won't."

Of course he was white.

"Jesse Hughes!" I exclaimed, vaulting into the saddle. "These are queer
hunting-grounds for you." Then in sudden terror, "Are the Indians back
here in the mountains?"

"Devil take worse luck! No," he grumbled as he trotted to meet me. "I'm
going out to Greenwood's to see if I can't git a few shoots of powder."

"Have you seen Ericus Dale, the trader?" I anxiously asked.

"Yes, I seen the fool. He was making the creek when I come off. His gal
was with him and John Ward. Come pretty nigh potting that Ward feller.
He's a white man, but I can't git it out of my noodle that he ain't a'
Injun."

"How did Dale's girl stand the journey?"

The query surprised him, and he looked puzzled.

"Stand it?" he slowly repeated. "Why, she ain't sick or hurt, is she?"

I said something about her not being used to riding long distances.

"Long distances!" he snorted. "Wal, if a woman can't foller a smooth trace
on a good hoss for a day's ride, she ain't got no business west of the
mountains. I can't stick here swapping talk. I've got to push on and git
that powder. Curse the luck!"

"The Greenwoods have no powder to spare. He has less than half a pound."

"Black devils in a pipe! Howard's Creek will have to go to making bows and
arrers!"

"I've brought twenty pounds of powder and ten of lead from Salem," I
added. "Howard's Creek is welcome to it after I've outfitted myself."

"Hooray! That ends that cussed trip. Twenty pounds! Wal, I declare if
there won't be some rare killings! Now I'll hustle right back along with
you. I've felt all the time that some one would be gitting hair that
belonged to me if I