low Elk has been."

At this Nellie shook her head. That painted and dirty face was far too
repulsive to be trusted. But there was no help for it; the Indian held
her as in a vise, and she was forced to submit.

Moving along the trail, Indian and horse passed within a dozen feet of
where Pawnee Brown sat, still as silent as a block of marble. It was a
trying moment. What if the horse he rode should make a noise, or if his
own Bonnie Bird should instinctively discover him and give the alarm?

"Poor Bonnie Bird, to have to carry a dirty redskin," thought the
boomer. The ears of the beautiful mare went up as she drew close, and
she appeared to hesitate. But Yellow Elk urged her along by several
punches in the ribs, and in a moment more the danger of discovery just
then was past.

On went the tall Indian along the ravine, peering cautiously ahead, with
one hand around Nellie's waist and the other holding the reins and his
pistol. He knew he was on a dangerous mission, and he stood ready, if
unmasked, to sell his worthless life dearly.

Pawnee Brown followed at a distance of a hundred feet, taking care to
pick his way so that his horse's hoofs should strike only the dirt and
soft moss, and that the brush growing among the tall trees should screen
him as much as possible.

Presently he saw the Indian halt and stare long and hard at a tall pine
growing in front of a large flat rock.

"Wonder if he has missed his way?" mused the scout, but a moment later
Yellow Elk proceeded onward, faster than ever.

Coming up to the pine, Pawnee Brown saw instantly what had attracted the
redskin's attention. There was a blaze on the tree six inches square,
and on the blaze was written in charcoal:

10 f. E. D. G.

"Hullo, a message from Dan," he cried, half aloud. He had read the
strange marking without difficulty. It ran as follows:

"Ten feet east. DAN GILBERT."

Pacing off the ten feet in the direction indicated, Pawnee Brown located
a flat rock. Raising this, he uncovered a small, circular hole, in the
centre of which lay a leaf torn from a note book, on which was written:

"I write this to notify Pawnee Brown or any of my other friends that I
have gone up the ravine on the trail of half a dozen cavalry scouts who
are up here, not only to watch for boomers, but also to try and locate
several Indians who have left the reservation without permission. I will
be back soon.