of Robideau's Pass. If they had gone
forward, it must have been by some parallel route, and not upon the
trail of the emigrant waggons? Nor yet upon the area of the encampment
had we been able to meet with any indications of their presence: though
we had spent the last minutes of daylight in a careful scrutiny of the
ground.

As for myself I looked for indications of a very different kind; but
equally without success. The absence of all Lilian sign satisfied us
that we had no enemy to fear. Even the wary trapper saw no imprudence
in our making a fire, and one was made--a large pile, for which the
half-burnt faggots scattered over the camp afforded the ready material.
The fire was not called for by the cold--for the night was a mild one--
but simply to serve the purposes of our _cuisine_; and, hungered by the
long ride, we all did full justice to our supper of dried deer-meat,
eaten _alfresco_.

After the meal the men of us sat around the fire, indulging in that
luxury--esteemed sweet by the prairie traveller--the fumes of the
Nicotian weed. Marian had retired to her tent; and, for a few minutes,
was lost to our sight. After a short time she came forth again; but,
instead of joining us by the cheerful _hearth_, she was seen sauntering
down in the direction of the stream. This caused a defection in our
party. The young backwoodsman rose to his feet; and silently, but with
rather an awkward grace, walked towards the tent--not Marian's. He
might as well have spared himself the trouble of taking up some of his
accoutrements, and pretending to examine them. The feint was perfectly
transparent to the rest of us--especially when the action ended, by his
strolling off almost on the identical track taken by the
huntress-maiden!

"_Amantes_?" (lovers), whispered Archilete, half-interrogatively, as
with a smile of quiet significance he followed the receding form of the
hunter. "Yes; lovers who have been long separated."

"_Carrambo_! Do you say so? This then should be the rival of the false
husband?" I nodded assent. "_Por Dios, Senor_; it is not to be
wondered at that the canting _heretico_ stood no chance in that game--
had it been played fairly. Your _camarado_ is a magnificent fellow. I
can understand now why the wild huntress had no eyes for our
_mountain-men_ here. No wonder she sighed for her far forest-home. _Ay
de mi, cavallero_! Love is a powerful thought, even the desert will not
drive it out of