ir horses--
with the intention of betaking themselves to a place of security; while
the warriors looked to their arms--determined to make stand against the
approaching foe. It was not expected that the enemy would make their
attack at once. Certainly not before night, and perhaps not for days.
The preparations to receive them were therefore entered upon with all
the coolness and deliberation that attack or defence might require.

The encounter eventually came off; but it was only afterwards that I
learnt the result. The Utahs were again victorious. Wa-ka-ra in this
affair had given another proof of his strategic talent. He had made
stand by the butte, but with only half of his warriors--distributed in
such a manner as to appear like the whole band. These, with their
rifles, could easily defend the mound against the arrows of the enemy;
and did so during an assault that lasted for several hours. Meanwhile
the other half of his band had been posted upon the bluffs, hidden among
the cedars; and, descending in the night, they had stolen unexpectedly
upon the allied forces, and attacked them in the rear. A concerted
sortie from the mound had produced complete confusion in the ranks of
their enemies; and the Utahs not only obtained a victory, but "hair"
sufficient to keep them scalp-dancing for a month. As I have said, it
was afterwards that these facts came to my knowledge. I have here
introduced them to show that we could no longer depend on any contingent
intervention on the part of the Utah chief; and we were therefore the
more keenly conscious that we should have to rely upon our own
resources.

The Utahs showed no wish to detain us. They felt confident in their own
strength, and in the fire-weapons--which they well knew how to use--and,
after thanking their friendly chief for the great service he had
rendered us, and confiding our wounded comrade to his care, we parted
from him without further ceremony. I witnessed not his parting with
Marian. Between them there was an interview, but of what nature I could
not tell. The huntress had stayed behind; and the rest having ridden
forward, no one of us was present at that parting scene. There may have
been a promise that they should meet again: for that was expected by all
of us; but whether there was, or what may have been the feelings of the
Indian at parting with his pale-faced _protegee_, I was not to know. It
was difficult to believe that the young chief