d him for the village.
Glen at once hurried back into the house, went to her own room, and in
a short time reappeared, clad in her riding-suit. She met Nannie at
the foot of the stairs, and briefly explained the object of her mission.

"But surely you are not going to Big Draw!" the woman exclaimed in
dismay. "What will your father say?"

"Yes, I am going," was the decided reply. "What would daddy say if I
shirked my duty?"

"But you are not going alone!"

"No. I have given Sconda orders to get twenty of the best men in the
village to accompany me. We shall go by way of Crooked Trail, and
should reach Big Draw by night. God grant we may be in time!"

"But it isn't safe, Glen," Nannie urged. "I can trust you with the
Indians, all right, but suppose something should happen to you down
there?"

"Don't you worry, dear," the girl soothed, as she gave the woman a
parting kiss. "I am quite capable of taking care of myself."

"But where will you sleep to-night, or get anything to eat?" The
question showed Nannie's thoughtful, motherly concern.

"Oh, I haven't thought about such things. Anyway, I do not care
whether I eat or sleep. Most likely the Indians will take some food
with them, and they will share with me. There, now, I must be off.
So, good-by, Nannie, dear, and do not worry about me."

"You must take your riding-cloak, though," Nannie insisted. "It may be
cold to-night, and should it rain you will feel the good of it. There,
that's better," she added, as she placed the garment over the girl's
shoulders. "I am afraid that your father will blame me for letting you
go."

Glen smiled at the woman's fears as she again kissed her, and picking
up her riding-gloves, she hurried out of the house and down to the
village. Here she found the twenty men awaiting her arrival, and
Sconda holding Midnight. She smiled as she saw them, and her heart
warmed as never before to these faithful natives. They were proud,
too, of their young mistress, and were ready and willing to follow her
anywhere, and to obey her slightest wish. They were anxious, as well,
for a tilt with the miners at Big Draw, for whom they had no great love.

In a few minutes Glen, mounted upon Midnight, was leading her little
band out of Glen West on their ride over Crooked Trail. The entire
population of the place was on hand to watch their departure, for word
had speedily spread about the trouble at Big Draw. Men, women and
children