victims to the ferocity of the Sioux.

"I can't do it," he said, compressing his lips and shaking his head. "I
have never played the coward, and I'm not going to begin when my folks
are concerned. My first duty is to find out where father, mother, and
Dot are, and then do all I can for their safety."

It was not difficult to reach this conclusion, for which no one will
deny him credit; but it was altogether a difficult and formidable task
for him to decide what next to do.

Had his friends been following the regular trail to the fort his course
would have been simple, since he had only to continue on until he met
them; but his father had notified him that not only would he not take
that route, but he could not say which one he would adopt. He inclined
to think he would turn to the westward, leaving the path on his left,
but the question, as he said, must be settled by circumstances.

Something cold touched his hand. It was a snowflake, and he knew that in
a short time the ground would be wrapped in a mantle of white. Once more
he glanced in the direction of the elevation, now invisible in the
gathering darkness. On the utmost height a point of light appeared,
shining for a moment with the steady radiance of a fixed star.

"The bucks are there," concluded Warren; "they saw me from a long way,
and must wonder why I am delayed--ah, sure enough!"

All at once the gleaming light began circling about, faster and faster,
until it looked like a wheel of fire. Then it reversed, whirling as
swiftly in the opposite direction, then up and down, then from side to
side, and finally, whiff! it vanished.

A grim smile lit the face of the youth, who turned his gaze toward the
more distant ridge on his left for the answer, but if it was made, the
state of the atmosphere prevented his seeing it. Once he fancied he
caught the glimpse of something resembling a fire-fly, but it was only
for an instant, and was not observed again.

It was easy to read the meaning of that which first showed itself. A
party of Indians that had evidently been watching his coming, while yet
a long way off, now telegraphed his arrival to their confederates on the
more distant elevation, together with the fact that the white man had
ceased his approach and might not come any nearer.

It was reasonable to believe that these same red men would not remain
idle while the object of their wrath turned quietly about and retraced
his steps.

Only a few minutes