ad received only a few bruises in the bluff,
and, after realizing that there was no chance of escape for the
present, he lay still in the bottom of the wagon. He blamed himself
for riding so readily into the trap, since it was obvious that his
assailants had known he was going to visit Grant, and had stretched a
strand of fence wire or something of the kind across the trail. They
would have removed it afterward and there would be nothing left to show
what had befallen him. This, however was a matter of minor consequence
and he endeavored to determine which way his captors were driving.
Judging the nature of the trail by the jolting, he decided that they
meant to leave the wood where he entered it, which suggested that they
were going south, and this was what he had anticipated. Though he was
sore from the effect of his fall and the rough handling which had
followed it, he did not think he would suffer any further violence, so
long as he made no attempt to get away. The men, no doubt, only
intended to prevent his giving evidence, by keeping him a prisoner
until after the trial.

When morning came, the wagon was still moving at a good pace, though
the roughness of the motion indicated that it was not following a
trail. This was all George could discover, because one of the men tied
his arms and legs before removing the jacket which had muffled his head.

"I guess you can't get up, but it wouldn't be wise to try," the fellow
pointed out significantly.

George took the hint. He meant to escape and attend the court, but he
had no wish to ruin any chance of his doing so by making a premature
attempt. His captors meant to prevent his seeing which way they were
going, but he could make out that the sky was brightest on the left
side of the wagon, which indicated that they were heading south. They
stopped at noon in a thick bluff, from which, when he was released and
allowed to get down, he could see nothing of the prairie. Only one man
remained to watch him; but as he was armed, and George could hear the
others not far away, he decided that his escape must be postponed.

During the afternoon, they went on again, George occupying his former
position in the bottom of the wagon, where it was unpleasantly hot; but
the strongest glare was now on his right side, which showed him that
they were still holding south. Their destination was evidently the
American frontier. In the evening they camped near a thicket of low
s