him_, if it be to the furrest eend o'
the world! Yes, stranger! I mean it. I'll go arter him, an' track him
out. I'll find him in the bottom o' a Californey gold mine, or wherever
he may try to hide hisself; an', by the etarnal! I'll wipe out the
score--both the old un and the new un--in the skunk's blood, or I'll
never set fut agin in the state o' Tennessee. I've made up my mind to
it."

"You are determined to follow him?"

"Firmly detarmined!"

"Enough! Our roads lie together!"

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

A DEPARTURE IN A "DUG-OUT."

We were in perfect accord as to our course of action, as in our
thoughts. If our motives were not similar, our enemy was the same.
Only was there a difference in our prospective designs. Love was the
lure that beckoned me on; Wingrove was led by revenge. To follow _him_,
and punish guilt, was the _metier_ of my companion; to follow _her_, and
rescue innocence, was the _role_ cast for me. Though guided by two such
different passions, both were of the strongest of our nature--either
sufficient to stimulate to the most earnest action; and without loss of
time, we entered upon it in full determination to succeed. I had
already formed the design of pursuit; and perhaps it was with the hope
of obtaining an associate and companion, that I had sought an interview
with the hunter. At all events, this had been my leading idea. His
expressed determination, therefore, was but the echo of my wish. It
only remained for us to mould our design into a proper and practicable
form.

Though not much older than my new comrade, there were some things in
which I had the advantage of him. I was his superior in experience. He
acknowledged it with all deference, and permitted my counsels to take
the lead. The exercise of partisan warfare--especially that practised
on the Mexican and Indian frontiers--is a school scarcely equalled for
training the mind to coolness and self-reliance. An experience thus
obtained, had given mine such a cast; and taught me, by many a
well-remembered lesson, the truthfulness of that wise saw; "The more
haste the less speed." Instead, therefore of rushing at once _in medias
res_, and starting forth, without knowing whither to go, my counsel was
that we should act with caution; and adopt some definite plan of
pursuit. It was not the suggestion of my heart, but rather of my head.
Had I obeyed the promptings of the former, I should have been in the
saddle, hour