nd she was compelled
to dismount, and in almost a minute, as soon as she laid down on the
prairie, was fast asleep.

"She had no idee how long she had slept when she woke up. The sun was
only 'bout two hours high. Then she know'd she had been unconscious
since sundown of the day before, or nigh twenty-four hours. Rubbing her
eyes, for she was kind o' bewildered, and looking around, there she saw
her pony as fresh, seemingly, as when she'd started. He'd had plenty to
eat, for the grass was good, but she'd had nothing. She pulled a little
piece of dried buffalo-meat out of her bosom, which she'd brought along,
all she could find at the lodge, and now nibbled at that, for she was
mighty hungry. She was terribly sore and stiff too, but she mounted at
once and pushed on, loping and walking him by spells. Just at daylight
she could make out the Arkansas right in front of her in the dim gray
of the early morning, not very far off. On the west, the Raton Mountains
loomed up like a great pile of blue clouds, the sight of which cheered
her; for she know'd she would soon reach the Trail.

"It wasn't quite noon when she struck the Santa Fe Trail. When she got
there, looking to the east, she saw in the distance, not more than three
miles away, a large caravan coming, and then, almost wild with delight,
she dismounted, sot down on the grass, and waited for it to arrive. In
less than an hour, the train come up to where she was, and as good luck
would have it, it happened to be an American outfit, going to Taos with
merchandise. As soon as the master of the caravan seen her setting on
the prairie, he rid up ahead of the wagons, and she told him her story.
He was a kind-hearted man; had the train stop right there on the bank of
the river, though he wasn't half through his day's drive, so as to make
her comfortable as possible, and give her something to eat; for she was
'bout played out. He bought the Ingin pony, giving her thirty dollars
for it, and after she had rested for some time, the caravan moved out.
She rid in one of the wagons, on a bed of blankets, and the next evening
arrived at Bent's Old Fort. There she found women-folks, who cared for
her and nussed her; for she was dreadfully sore and tired after her long
ride. Then she was hired to cook, meaning to work until she'd earned
enough to take her back to Pennsylvany, to her mother's, where she had
started for when the Ingins attackted the train.

"That night, after listening