e surface packed
firm. The night shut them in silently, giving to their immediate
surroundings a mournful loneliness most depressing. There were no
shadows, only the dull snow-gleam across which they passed like
spectres, the only sound the crunching of their horses' hoofs on the
crust. The Sergeant, staring about, felt that he had never looked upon
a more depressing spectacle than this gloomy landscape, desolate and
wind-swept, still over-arched with low-lying storm clouds, black and
ominous.

They advanced thus for two hours, making no attempt to force their
animals, and scarcely exchanging a word, both men watchful of the snow
underfoot in search of a possible trail, when the character of the
country began to change. The level plain broke into a series of ridges
of irregular formation, all evidently heading toward some more southern
valley. In the depressions the snow lay banked in deep drifts, and,
after plunging desperately through two of these, unable to judge
correctly in the dim light where to ride, Hughes turned more to the
south, skirting along the bare slope of a ridge, trusting some turn
lower down would yield them the necessary westerning.

"It's over the ponies' heads down thar, Sergeant," he said, pointing
sideways into the dark hollow, "an' we 're bound to strike a
cross-ridge afore we come to the bluffs."

"What bluffs? The Canadian?"

"Yep; it 's badly broken kintry a long ways west o' yere. Bad lands,
mostly, an' a hell o' a place for cattle to hide out."

"Hughes, do you know where Black Kettle's camp is?"

"Well, no, not exactly. Las' winter the Cheyennes was settled 'bout
opposite the mouth o' Buffalo Creek, an' thar 're down thar somewhar
now. Thar 's one thing sure--they ain't any east o' thet. As we ain't
hit no trail, I reckon as how Le Fevre's outfit must hev drifted
further then I calc'lated."

"I thought so at the time," commented the other quietly. "However, we
will have to make the circle, and, if the country out yonder is as you
describe, they will be no better off. They 'll have to follow the
ridges to get through. We may get a glimpse when daylight comes."

They rode on steadily, keeping down below the crest of the hills, yet
picking a passage where the snow had been swept clear. The
slipperiness of the incline made their progress slow, as they dared not
risk the breaking of a horse's leg in that wilderness, and the faint
light glimmer was most confusing. The wi