the
Indians, leaving them unhurt if they would yield up their captive and
the stolen stock; but before I had fully considered this alternative
Clary, who was returning along the rear of the line of tents from his
recent errand, approached and said: "Liftinint, as I was crapin' along
behoind th' wiggies I saw somethin' loike a purty white hand stickin'
out from undher th' edge of th' third from this ind."

"Show it to me," said I. "I'll go with you."

Making a slight detour to the rear, the soldier and I crept up to the
back of the tent indicated, pausing at a distance of twenty feet from
it.

Nothing definite could be made out in the darkness. A narrow, white
object was visible beneath the lower edge. Sending Clary back a few
yards to light up a palm, I fixed my eyes on the object mentioned, and
as the flames leaped up the trunk perceived by the flaring light a
small, white hand, holding in its fingers the loose tresses of
Brenda's hair. The question was settled. The captive girl was in the
third tent from the right of the line.

Waiting until the fire went out, Clary and I made our way back to our
former station.

"Go around the lines again, Clary, and tell Sergeant Rafferty to move
his men to a point from which he can cover the rear of the camp, and
open fire on all the tents except the third from the right."

"All roight, sor; th' b'ys 'll soon mak' it loively for th' rids."

"Tell the sergeant to light up some trees."

"Yes, sor."

I then crept slowly back to my own flank, and ordered a disposition of
my half of the party so as to command the space in front of the line
of tents. In another instant the flames were ascending two
tree-trunks, and the rapid cracking of rifles broke our long reserve.
With the first scream of a bullet through their flimsy shelters the
Indians leaped out and ran for the river. Few fell. Rapid zigzags and
the swinging of blankets and arms as they ran confused the aim of the
soldiers. In less than five minutes the last Apache was out of sight,
and the firing had ceased.

We dashed up to the tents, and I rushed to the one from which I had
seen the hand and tress thrust out, and called, "Brenda!" There was no
response or sound. Looking into the entrance, I saw in the dim light
of the awakening day the figure of a girl lying on her back, her feet
extended towards me, and her head touching the rear wall. The right
arm lay along her side, and the left was thrown above her head, the