cest kind of fight. He would
not run from the attack of two or three persons: much less from one of
the most insignificant men in the entire company.

The course of Carson illustrated another marked feature of his
character--that of loyalty to his friends and resolution in carrying
through any task he undertook. Where scarcely one man in a multitude
would have pushed forward, he advanced without hesitation. He
deliberately resolved to attack a fierce criminal who was as fully armed
as he, as daring and perfect in his knowledge of woodcraft, and much his
superior in strength.

Carson had proven the mettle of his steed, and he now showed him no
mercy. The trail indicated he was gaining rapidly and he was anxious to
force matters to an issue before night. Among the horses the Indian was
running off were one or two whose endurance was less than the others.
Their tardiness moderated the pace of the rest, and thus gave Kit a
chance of lessening the distance between him and the fugitive.

At the end of the ten miles he scanned the ground in front, but nothing
was seen of the thief or his horses; but the hoof prints were fresh and
the scout knew he was closer to him than at any time since the chase
began. The flanks of his steed shone with perspiration and froth, but
it would not do to lag now. The lips were compressed and the gray eye
flashed fire as before.

Ten more miles were speedily thrown behind him, and he knew he was not
far from the dusky desperado, who doubtless was continually glancing
backward in quest of pursuers; but the keen vision which swept around
every portion of the visible horizon, discovered no sign of the thief.

Carson anticipated some attempt on the part of the fugitive to confuse
pursuit and he, therefore, watched the hoof prints more closely than
ever. The eagle eye continually glanced from the ground to the country
in front, and then to the right and left. Nothing escaped his vision,
but when his foamy steed had thundered over another ten miles the
fugitive was still beyond sight.

"He can't be far off," was the thought of Carson, "I'm bound to overtake
him before long."

At that moment, he caught sight of the Indian galloping leisurely
forward, amid the stolen horses. The cunning savage, as the scout had
suspected, was constantly on the alert, and detected Carson the same
moment that he himself was discovered. Quick as a flash, he leaped from
the back of his horses and started on a swift ru