as seen returning from the northern
trail. As he approached he held something above his head. Directing
the horses to be made ready, I walked forward to meet him, and
received from his hand a small bow of blue ribbon, which I at once
recognized to be the property of Brenda.

It now appeared certain the girl captive had been taken over the road
to the right; so, without waiting for the return of Cooler, the men
were ordered into their saddles, and we started along the northern
trail. Our march had not long continued, however, when Private Tom
Clary, who was riding in the rear, called to me. Looking back, I saw
the young scout galloping rapidly forward and waving his hat in a
beckoning manner.

A halt was ordered, and Cooler rode up to me and placed in my hand _a
lock of flaxen hair, bound with a thread of the same_. Placed by the
other they were twin tresses, except that the last was slightly singed
by fire.

Well, tears glistened on the eyelids of some of the bronzed veterans
at the sight of the tiny lock of hair. We had barely escaped taking
the wrong trail.

"God bliss the darlint," said grizzled Tom Clary. "There's not a
ridskin can bate her with their tricks. We'll bring her back to her
frinds, b'ys, or it'll go hard wid us."

Clary's remarks were subscribed to by many hearty exclamations on the
part of his fellow-soldiers. We had no difficulty in understanding
that the Apaches had expected to be pursued and had dropped the ribbon
to mislead us, and that Brenda had dropped her "sign" to set her
friends right.

I asked the guides if it was not probable the Apaches had set a watch
on the overlooking heights to see which road we should take at this
point.

"It's sartin', liftinint," answered Weaver; "they're watchin' us sharp
jest now."

"Then we had better continue on the northern trail awhile and mislead
them, you think?"

"That's it, liftinint. That's th' best thing to do. We needn't reach
their camp until after midnight, an' we might 's well spend th' time
misleadin' em."

"Yes, and it'll be better to reach them a few hours after midnight,
too," added Cooler; "they sleep soundest then."

"Then we will go on as we began for some time longer," I replied, and
the soldiers again moved at a brisk canter over the northern trail.

An hour passed, and a halt was made in a grassy nook, where the horses
were turned out to graze until dusk. Our route was then retraced to
the fork and the march resumed over t