ed the canon. There was more light;
and this must have been caused by a moon. I could see none--the cliffs
hindered me--but the strip of sky visible above the rocks showed the
sheen of moonlight.

I rode but slowly. Feeble though I was, I could have ridden faster, but
I was proceeding with caution. Strange as it may seem, I was now paying
more regard to the front than the rear. I had a suspicion that my
pursuers might be _ahead_ of me. I could hardly believe in their having
abandoned the pursuit, after so slight an effort. Too many of them had
fallen by my hand. They would scarce let me escape so easily, and with
my scalp untaken: I had ascertained that the trophy was still upon my
head. It was quite possible they had passed me. While endeavouring to
mount my horse, I had drawn him from the path; and the place where I had
found myself lying was behind some bushes, where I should have been
screened from the eyes of any one riding along the track. In daylight I
might have been seen; but not then. At that hour the darkness would
have concealed me. And it _had_ concealed me, as I soon after
discovered. My suspicion that the pursuers had passed me proved the
means of saving me. But for the caution it had prompted me to observe,
I should have ridden head to head against their horses! I had proceeded
about a mile further, and was still advancing when my steed raised his
head horizontally, and gave utterance to a low snort. At the same
instant, he stopped without any tightening of the rein! Above the sough
of the stream, I heard noises. The intonation of the red man's voice
was easily recognised. There were Indians in front of me! Were they
coming or going? The voices grew louder as I listened--the speakers
were nearing me.

My first thought was to glide behind the trees; but a glance showed me
that these were not tall enough. They were mere bushes. They might
have concealed the body of a man; but a horse standing up could not have
been hidden behind them. For a moment I was undecided as to how I
should act--till I bethought me of turning, and riding back to where I
had lain. I was in the act of facing about, when through the sombre
light I observed a break in the cliff. It appeared to be a gap--the
entrance of a lateral ravine. It offered a chance of concealment: since
it was even darker than within the canon itself. I hesitated not about
accepting the shelter it promised; and, heading my horse in