the murder. The sight was frightfully
suggestive: pieces of harness, band boxes, trunks, strips of blood
stained clothing, and fragments of the carriage attested the untamable
ferocity of the Apaches who had swooped down on the doomed party like a
cyclone.

From that point the trail was taken and the infuriated mountaineers
urged their steeds to the utmost, knowing the value of every hour and
that in the case of a fight with the Indians a surprise is half the
battle.

Day after day the pursuit was maintained until nearly two weeks had gone
by, before the first glimpse of a warrior was obtained. The trail was
one of the worst imaginable, and, had the pursuers been less skilful,
they would have been baffled almost from the first. At certain points,
the Apaches would break up into parties of two or three that would take
different routes, reuniting at some place many miles beyond where water
was known to be. This was done repeatedly, with a view of disconcerting
any avengers who might take their trail, and it is a tribute to the
ability of the mountaineers that the cunning artifice failed, so far as
they were concerned, of its purpose.

At last the Apaches were descried in the distance. Carson was the
first to discover them, he being some distance in advance. Knowing how
necessary it was to surprise them he shouted to his companions to charge
at once. Not doubting he would be followed, he dashed ahead with his
horse on a dead run, but looking over his shoulder when he had gone part
way, he saw to his consternation he was alone.

Angered and impatient, he rode back to learn what it meant. The chief
guide had directed the men to wait as there was no doubt the Apaches
desired to hold a parley. It meant the next moment in the shape of
a bullet from the Indians which struck the leader in the breast and
rendered him senseless. As soon as he recovered, he ordered his men to
make the attack and leave him to himself.

He was obeyed, but the delay was fatal. On charging into the camp they
were able to kill only one warrior. The body of the woman was found
still warm, showing that she had been slain only a brief while before.

All those acquainted with the particulars of this sad affair agreed that
had the advice of Carson been followed the poor lady might have been
saved.

CHAPTER XXXII.

The Wounded Herder--A Successful Pursuit--An Atrocious Plot--How it
was Frustrated--Gratitude of the Gentlemen Whom Carson was t