d, to the air of "'Way down
upon the Swanee River" she now began to sing:--

"Oh, dear! I can't bear up much longer:
I 'm tired to death;
My voice's gone all to pie-ee-ee-ces,
My throat is very sore."

They must inevitably give out in a few minutes, and then he--and,
terribly worse, she--would be at the mercy of these bestial savages,
and this seeming farce would turn into most revolting tragedy. With this
sickening conviction coming over him, Lombard cast a despairing
look around the horizon to see if there were no help in their bitter
extremity. Suddenly he burst forth, to the tune of "The Star-Spangled
Banner: "--

"Oh, say can you see,
Far away to the east,
A bright star that doth grow
Momentarily brighter?
'Tis the far-flashing headlight
Of a railroad-train:
Ten minutes from now
We shall be safe and sound."

What they did in those ten minutes neither could tell afterward. The
same idea was in both their minds,--that unless the attention of the
Indians could be held until the train arrived, its approach would
only precipitate their own fate by impelling the savages to carry out
whatever designs of murder, insult, or capture they might have. Under
the influence of the intense excitement of this critical interval it is
to be feared that the performance degenerated from a high-toned concert
and variety show into something very like a Howling-Dervish exhibition.
But, at any rate, it answered its purpose until, after a period that
seemed like a dozen eternities, the West-bound overland express with
a tremendous roar and rattle drew up beside them, in response to the
waving of Miss Dwyer's handkerchief and to Lombard's shouts.

Even had the Indians contemplated hostile intentions,--which they were
doubtless in a condition of too great general stupefaction to do,--the
alacrity with which the two performers clambered aboard the cars would
probably have foiled their designs. But as the train gathered headway
once more, Lombard could not resist the temptation of venting his
feelings by shaking his fist ferociously at the audience which he had
been so conscientiously trying to please up to that moment. It was a
gratification which had like to have cost him dear. There was a quick
motion on the part of one of the Indians, and the conductor dragged
Lombard within the car just as an arrow struck the door.

Mrs. Eustis had slept sweetly all night, an