beat.
We had crossed two or three streams by the way, and at each they had had
a few mouthfuls of water. It wasn't till we were within ten miles of the
fort that the Injins really began to gain. They must have felt that
there was a good chance of our slipping through their fingers, and they
determined to catch us if they killed every horse in the tribe.

"I tried to urge my critter forward, but he hadn't got it in him; and
what frightened me more was that the mustang didn't seem much faster; he
had trod in a dog-hole when we war about half-way across the plains,
and must have twisted his foot. I could see now he was going a little
lame with it. The redskins gained on us bit by bit, and were pressing us
hard when first we caught sight of the fort about four miles away.

"I had begun to despair, for they warn't more than two hundred yards
behind now. The gal had held on bravely, but she was nigh done. Good
rider as she was, it was a terrible ride for a young gal, and it was
only the excitement which kept her going; but she was nigh reeling on
the horse now. Sudden I says to her, 'Thank God! Miss, there are the
soldiers; keep up your heart, your father's coming to save you.'

"The Injins saw him too, for I heard the war-whoop behind, and the sound
of the horses came nearer and nearer. I spurred my horse, and it was the
first time I had touched him since we started, but it wasn't no good.
'Ride, Queen May, ride for your life!' I cried out; but I don't think
she heard me. She was looking straight forward now at the sojers; her
face was like death, and with a hard set look on it, and I expected
every moment to see her drop from her horse.

"I saw as it was all up; the redskins war but fifty yards behind, and
were gainin' fast upon us. So I says, 'Thar's your father, Miss, ride on
for his sake,' then I turns my horse, and, with a pistol in each hand, I
rides back at the redskins. The gal told me afterwards that she did not
hear me speak, that she didn't know I had turned, and that all that time
after she had first caught sight of the sojers seemed a dream to her.

"I don't remember much of the scrimmage. Black Dog was the first redskin
I met, and I hit him fair between the eyes; arter that it was all
confusion, I threw away my pistols, and went at them with my rifle. I
felt as if a hot iron went through my body, then there was a crash on my
head, and I remember nothing more until I found myself lying, as weak as
a baby, i