st where he would bag his game.

Against this line of reasoning was our failure to discover fresh signs,
and the fact that Black Hoof's band was making north. Then one fear drew
ahead of all others, and I was thrown into a panic lest Ward plotted to
count his coup unaided and would murder the trader and his daughter. I
rose from the fire and announced my intention of proceeding to the valley
settlement that night. I told Cousin my fears.

"That's just so much foolishness," he told me. "If Ward's up to them sort
o' tricks he'd 'a' made his kill when only a few miles from Howard's
Creek, when he was that much closer to Black Hoof's band. Then he'd 'a'
sneaked north to j'in his red friends and dance his sculps. But we've
found all their camps, and nothin' has happened. They're safe so far."

It was near morning before I could sleep and I awoke at sunrise. Cousin
was missing. I investigated and discovered he had gone on foot, so I
assumed he was out to kill some meat to pack into the settlement. I
prepared something to eat and finished my portion and was kneeling to
drink from a spring when I heard him coming through the woods. He was
running and making much noise, and I had a presentiment that something
very evil had happened. Before he came into view he called my name
sharply.

"All right! I'm here! What is it?" I answered.

"Devil's come for his pay!" he snapped as he burst through the last of the
growth. "Only two miles west fresh tracks of big war-party makin' south.
They're makin' for Abb's Valley. That white-Injun devil fixed it up. Goin'
to gobble the settlers along with your fool friends. If we can't stop 'em
they'll git every white in the valley sure's Sabba'day preachin'!"

Until that moment I had never dreamed of the exquisite torture that the
threat of an Indian raid could induce. I secured my weapons and mounted
without realizing what I was doing. My first coherent thought was one of
amazement to behold Cousin stuffing smoked meat into his pack with one
hand while the other held a tough morsel for his teeth to tear at. He ate
like a famished wolf.

"Can't fight without some linin'," he mumbled. "An' we'll take what's left
along. May git in a corner an' have mighty little time for cookin'."

I urged my horse into a gallop. Cousin tore after me, angrily calling on
me to wait. I was in no mood to wait, and endeavored to get even more
speed out of my animal. Then Cousin brought me to my senses by yelling: