hen Running Bear heard of it from some
of the old men who had been with my father, and heard that I was the
only one of all the tribe who knew where it was, he began to court me,
and then bought me of my father for twenty ponies.

"We had not been married long when he asked me to take him to the place
of gold, but my father told me not to do so, and I did not. Then he
began to beat me, and tried to kill me, but the secret is still mine.

"In time others heard that I possessed the great secret of the hiding
place of the mother gold, for when Running Bear was drunk he would boast
that his squaw was the richest woman in the world, because of her
secret, and many men have tried to get it from me. Then the army chief,
who carries the sword, got hungry for the gold, and gave Running Bear
plenty of whisky to make me tell where it was, and now he has sent
Woofer to make me tell, or to kill me."

"Will you tell Ted Strong where the mother gold is hidden?" asked
Stella.

"I will, if you wish me to. But it is accursed."

"Nonsense. That is only a superstition. Now that you have told me, all
will be well. Be careful, and do not let Woofer see you alone, and if he
lays his hand on you, scream for me. We will now go back to the camp."

As the two girls walked away with their arms around one another's
waists, a tall, gaunt man rose from behind a dead tree not far away, and
over his face spread a shrewd smile.

It was Woofer.

CHAPTER XXXII.

A NIGHT CHASE.

The tent occupied by Singing Bird was pitched some distance from that
occupied by Mrs. Graham and the two girls, Stella and Hallie, and when
she had attended to the wants of Mrs. Graham, she retired to it.

It was early in the evening, and when she saw that her friend had
retired, Stella sought out Ted, and told him the story she had heard
that afternoon.

At first Ted was inclined to be somewhat incredulous about Woofer's
share in it as told by the Indian girl, but when he thought it over and
put together certain facts which had come to his attention, and recalled
questions, apparently innocent at the time they were asked, which Woofer
had put to him from time to time, he began to suspect that the merry
cow-puncher was, after all, merely acting a part.

Ted took Bud into consultation, and the three went over the matter
carefully.

If it were true that Barrows was after the gold, he had a double cause
to do injury to the broncho boys.

There could be no