I am--Bill Horn," replied the leader, stepping out.

"Thar's a band of Sioux redskins on your trail."

Horn lifted his arms high. The other men uttered exclamations of amaze
and dread. The women were silent.

"Did you see them?" asked Horn.

"Yes, from a ridge back hyar ten miles. I saw them sneakin' along the
trail an' I knowed they meant mischief. I rode along the ridges or I'd
been hyar sooner."

"How many Injuns?"

"I counted fifteen. They were goin' along slow. Like as not they've sent
word fer more. There's a big Sioux camp over hyar in another valley."

"Are these Sioux on the war-path?"

"I saw dead an' scalped white men a few days back," replied Slingerland.

Horn grew as black as a thundercloud, and he cursed the group of
pale-faced men who had elected to journey eastward with him.

"You'll hev to fight," he ended, brutally, "an' thet'll be some
satisfaction to me."

"Horn, there's soldiers over hyar in camp," went on Slingerland. "Do you
want me to ride after them?"

"Soldiers!" ejaculated Horn.

"Yes. They're with a party of engineers surveyin' a line fer a railroad.
Reckon I could git them all hyar in time to save you--IF them Sioux keep
comin' slow.... I'll go or stay hyar with you."

"Friend, you go--an' ride thet hoss!"

"All right. You hitch up an' break camp. Keep goin' hard down the trail,
an' I'll fetch the troops an' head off the redskins."

"Any use to take to the hills?" queried Horn, sharply.

"I reckon not. You've no hosses. You'd be tracked down. Hurry along.
Thet's best.... An' say, I see you've a young girl hyar. I can take her
up behind me."

"Allie, climb up behind him," said Horn, motioning to the girl.

"I'll stay with mother," she replied.

"Go child--go!" entreated Mrs. Durade.

Others urged her, but she shook her head. Horn's big hand trembled as he
held it out, and for once there was no trace of hardness about his face.

"Allie, I never had no lass of my own.... I wish you'd go with him.
You'd be safe--an' you could take my--"

"No!" interrupted the girl.

Slingerland gave her a strange, admiring glance, then turned his quick
gray eyes upon Horn. "Anythin' I can take?"

Horn hesitated. "No. It was jest somethin' I wanted the girl to hev."

Slingerland touched his shaggy horse and called over his shoulder:
"Rustle out of hyar!" Then he galloped down the trail, leaving the
travelers standing aghast.

"Break camp!" thundered Horn.

A scene of confusion