CHAPTER X.

THE WINDING TRAIL.

At this wild cry from Captain Travers, Delaware Tom abandoned the horses they had secured after so much trouble and danger, and darted up the hill-side toward the spot where such a startling discovery had been made by the soldier. It did not seem possible, and the Indian evidently believed that Travers had made some mistake in the spot.

But then he also saw that Clara was gone from the place where she had been left but a few short minutes before. Gone—where? Why had she fled? Or had some enemy spirited her away?

These were the questions that poured from the lips of the soldier, as his comrade gained his side. For a time Tom made no reply, and bent low down over the ground, as if trying to read the truth by some sign left there.

“She gone—dat all we know now,” grunted the Delaware, as he rose erect. “Don’t know how—mebbe tell bumbye, when light comes ’g’in.”

“Do you think that any one has carried her off, Tom?” asked Travers, agitatedly.

“Mebbe so—mebbe not so. Don’t know not’ing, me say. Too much dark—can’t see. She gone, dat all me kin tell now,” persisted the Delaware, doggedly.

Travers glanced anxiously up at the heavens. The moon had rolled on, until the cliff above their heads shut off the light from the hill-side.

All there was dim and indistinct; light enough to distinguish forms, but not sufficiently so to trace out a trail, especially when left upon the rocky ground by so light a foot as that of the missing maiden. As Tom had said, the truth could not be learned until the day had dawned.

Fortunately, this period was not far distant. A couple of hours, at most, and the sun would make its appearance.

But in that length of time, what might not happen? If the maiden was in the hands of an enemy, she would be conveyed far beyond their reach before they could strike the trail.

And then there was danger to themselves, too, as well. The messenger who had been dispatched for help, hours before, by the Arapahoes, might return at any moment, bringing a force that they could not hope to cope with successfully. Or the two savages who had fled the massacre of their comrades might chance upon friends, and gathering courage from that fact, return to avenge the slaughter of their brethren.

All these thoughts agitated the minds of the two men, as they stood gazing gloomily upon each other. That they were puzzled was plain; equally plain was it that not for even a moment did either think of abandoning to her fate the maiden who had so strangely been thrown upon their protection, and for whom they had already dared so much.

“What must we do now, Tom?” muttered Travers, speaking mechanically; not that he hoped to gain any thing by the reply.

“Do not’ing now—bumbye do _somefin_. When light come ag’in, we take trail—foller up till fin’ squaw.”

“But do you think we can?”

“Know so—almost. Got eye plenty sharp, Tom. Foller trail in water, ef try _hard_. Me foller trail—Cap’n ride hoss. Den we git her—go back camp—laugh like de debble, ’cause skeered when squaw git lost.”

“But she may have been carried off?” suggested the soldier, taking the gloomy side of the question as the true one.

“No—don’t t’ink _dat_. Injun grab her, squaw holler _so_ loud—squeal all some like pant’er. Den we hear, sure. No holler loud—den Injun no take. She git skeered, mebbe, ’cause ’um kill Arapahoe. Don’t know much when skeered. No see straight—t’ink mebbe a _frien’_ git kill—not bad Injun. Den ’fraid dey git her, too, so run ’way off, plenty fast. Me t’ink _dat_,” succinctly stated Tom, with the argumentative air of a lawyer summing up his case.

“Do you think so?” eagerly cried Travers. “Then she may be hidden somewhere near here. Surely she could not run far, she was so weak from her fall. If you call, she may hear and answer.”

“You holler, if you like. Me go git horses ’g’in. Don’t like much walk, when kin ride. Plenty better, _dat_,” grinned the Delaware, who begun descending the hillside toward the captured animals, who had stood still on being left.

Travers acted upon this supposition, making the hills echo with the sound of his voice calling aloud the maiden’s name as clearly as possible. But there came back no answering call.

If the Delaware’s supposition as to Clara’s voluntary flight was true, then she must have run to a great distance, or she could not have failed hearing the cries. At length the soldier ceased in despair. There was nothing for it but to await the coming day before proceeding further.

Tom secured the horses to a bush, and then taking a philosophical view of the matter, comfortably seated himself in a mossy nook, lighting his pipe and smoking with the gusto of an epicure. But Travers could not content himself thus.

Though he had known the maiden but a few brief hours, as time is usually computed, that seemed most like a year of ordinary time, so full of adventure had it been. The bright eyes and sweet face of Clara Calhoun, had made a vivid impression upon his heart, and he felt this suspense very keenly.

No doubt he would have laughed to scorn the idea of his being in love with her, had it suggested itself, but truly, the feeling he now experienced was not unlike the first dawning of that subtle sentiment called _love_. Honestly, the gallant captain was in greater danger then, than he had ever been before in the whole course of his eventful life, had he but known it.

Travers, in his anxiety to be doing something, scaled the hill and kept a close look out, to guard against being taken by surprise, in case the Arapahoe’s messenger should return. But Tom sunk into a peaceful doze beside his rock, no doubt living over again in his dreams the glorious sport he had so lately had, in outwitting and putting to rout his foes, the Arapahoes.

But all things must have an end, and that eventful night was no exception to the general rule. With the first golden rays of the rising sun gilding the eastern hill-tops, Travers descended to where Delaware Tom was awaiting his coming.

Their preparations for the coming campaign were necessarily very brief. A long draught from the creek, constituted all their breakfast for the nonce, as the last bit of food had passed their lips on the preceding night.

Then while the soldier secured the horses for marching, Tom quartered the ground adjoining the covert, where still lay the slaughtered Kisch-kouch, searching for the trail of the missing maiden. In a few minutes his glad cry echoed forth, and Travers knew that the quest had been successful.

As he hastened to the spot, his eyes, though keen, were at fault, though Tom declared the trail was remarkably plain—that Clara had passed over the ground at a rapid pace, though _alone_. A joyous cry burst from the captain’s lips at this welcome announcement, for now he did not doubt of being successful in finding the girl in a very short time.

It also confirmed the supposition of the Delaware, that she had taken affright at the wild tumult attending the surprise, and perhaps had fancied her friends were being overpowered. But now Tom stood upon his dignity as chief trailer, and motioned Travers back, to act as rear-guard.

The trail led down the hillside for some little distance, then crossed the ridge and descended into the level prairie beyond. Now even Travers could easily note the dainty footprints upon the dew-dampened ground.

He also saw with pleasure, that its course was one heading almost directly toward the camping-ground of his own train, so that they were in reality losing but very little time. This he rejoiced in, for he knew that his men would be uneasy at his long absence, as they had not intended stopping out over night.

For several miles the trail continued, not in a direct line, but zig-zag hither and yon, as if the girl had become confused and wandered aimlessly in a roundabout manner. And while Tom traced this out, step by step, Travers, seated upon a horse, gazed keenly around in every direction, hoping to thus gain sight of the wanderer, sooner than otherwise.

And his search proved successful, for, just as Tom uttered a cry of surprise, Travers caught sight of a human form, upon the swell of a hill, perhaps a mile away. Then the figure abruptly disappeared from view.

“Ugh! look dere!” muttered Tom, as he came to an abrupt stop.

Travers followed the direction indicated by the outstretched finger. The trail they were following suddenly became _a double one_!