hat, still watching his movements.

[Illustration: "The distance was too great to distinguish the features
of the red man."--Page 7]

The next moment the Sioux wheeled his horse, and heading westward,
galloped off with such speed that he almost instantly vanished.

The Indian had been gone less than a minute when Melville spoke to
Saladin, and he stepped into the water.

The instant his hoof rested on dry land the youth struck him into a
swift canter, which was not checked until he arrived at the house. While
yet some distance, the lad's fears were deepened by what he saw, or
rather by what he failed to see. Not a horse or cow was in sight; only
the ducks and chickens were there, the former waddling to the water.

When Archie Clarendon made his home on that spot, a few years before,
one of the questions he had to meet was as to the best way of guarding
against attacks from Indians, for there were plenty of them in that part
of the country. There are very few red men who will not steal; and they
are so fond of "firewater," or intoxicating drink, that they are likely
to commit worse crimes.

The pioneer, therefore, built his house much stronger than he would have
done had he waited several years before putting it up.

It was made of logs, strongly put together, and the windows were so
narrow that no person, unless very slim, could push his way through
them. Of course the door was heavy, and it could be fastened in its
place so firmly that it would have resisted the assault of a strong body
of men.

By this time Melville, who had galloped up to the front and brought his
horse to a halt, was almost sure that something dreadful had happened,
and he hesitated a moment before dismounting or lowering Dot to the
ground. She began twisting about in his grasp, saying plaintively--

"Let me down, Mel; I want to see papa and mamma."

"I don't think they are there," he said, again swallowing a lump in his
throat.

She turned her head around and looked wonderingly up in his face, not
knowing what he meant. He could not explain, and he allowed her to drop
lightly on her feet.

"Wait a minute," he called, "till I take a look inside."

In imagination he saw an awful sight. It was that of his beloved parents
slain by the cruel red men--one of whom had waved his blanket tauntingly
at him only a few minutes before.

He could not bear that Dot should look upon the scene that would haunt
her, as it would haunt him, to her dyi