Arapahoes. I had
told her their number, as I had myself estimated it--nearly two hundred
warriors. It was rare that a party of white hunters mustered above a
dozen men. Moreover, she had mentioned a name--twice mentioned
it--"Wa-ka-ra." No white was likely to bear such an appellation. The
word was undoubtedly Indian--especially as the huntress had pronounced
it.

I waited for an opportunity to interrogate her. It offered at length--
where the path ran circuitously among loose rocks, and it was impossible
to proceed at a rapid pace I was about initiating a dialogue, when I was
forestalled in my intention.

"You are an officer in the army!" said my companion, half
interrogatively. "How should you have known that?" answered I in some
surprise--perceiving that her speech was rather an assertion than a
question. "Oh! easily enough; your uniform tells me."

"My uniform?"

"Yes. Have you not still a portion of it left?" inquired she, with a
striking simplicity. "I see a mark here where lace stripes have been.
That denotes an officer--does it not? The Arapahoes have stripped them
off, I suppose?"

"There was lace--true--you have guessed correctly. I have been in the
army."

"And what was bringing you out here? On your way to the gold countries,
I dare say?"

"No, indeed, not that."

"What, then, may I ask?"

"Only a foolish freak. It was a mere tour without much purpose. I
intended soon to return to the States."

"Ah! you intend returning? But you say you _were following_ the
caravan--you and your three fellow-travellers! Why were you not _with_
it? Would it not have been safer?" I hesitated to make reply. My
interrogator continued:

"It is not usual for so small a party to pass over the prairies alone.
There is always danger from the Indians. Sometimes from whites too! Ah
me! there are white savages--worse savages than red--far worse--far
worse!"

These strange speeches, with the sigh that accompanied them, caused me
to turn my head, and steal a glance at the countenance of my companion.
It was tinged with melancholy, or rather deeply impressed with it. She,
too, suffering from the past? In this glance I again remarked what had
already attracted my notice--a resemblance to Lilian Holt! It was of
the slightest, and so vague, that I could not tell in what it lay.
Certainly not in the features--which were signally unlike those of
Lilian; and equally dissimilar was the complexion. Were I