Making a sudden dash, and before any one could realize her intention,
Brenda leaped past the shovellers, sprang over the embankment they
were throwing up, and by the aid of a bench sprang up the four-foot
wall, through the flame-bordered aperture, and disappeared, her
clothing apparently in a blaze. The war-whoops immediately ceased.

No attempt at pursuit or rescue was made. The Arnolds and the
strangers felt that it would be useless, and only result in the death
of the pursuers. The work of closing the passage was resumed and
completed, and all sat down to await the slow flight of time and the
possible arrival of the soldiers.

After listening to the story of the Arnolds I concluded that Brenda
had fallen a victim to the cruelty of the Apaches, and that we should
find her mutilated and disfigured body. A rapid and excited search was
at once began. Far and wide, over plain, through ravines, and into the
foot-hills rode the soldiers, leaving no part of the country for
several miles around unsearched; but not a trace of the missing girl
was discovered.

Once more the detachment gathered near the ruins of the Arnold home,
and began preparations for returning to Whipple. The remains of the
dead wife and mother were lifted from beneath the charred timbers and
deposited in a grave near by. While the burial was taking place, the
two scouts, Weaver and Cooler, were absent, looking for the Apache
trail. Day was dawning, and as it was probable when they returned that
the command could start, I ordered the horses fed from the loose
forage scattered about, and the men to prepare their breakfast.

The scouts returned as the men were dispersing from their meal, and
Cooler placed in my hand a dainty lock of flaxen hair, wound around
the middle with a strand of the same.

"I found it," said the scout, "beside the ravine yonder, a little more
than two miles from here. The young miss is alive, and dropped it for
a 'sign.' The redskins all left in that direction."

Whatever Brenda's three cousins may have lacked in education and
cultivation, they wanted nothing in affection. They gathered about the
little tress, took it daintily in their palms, kissed it again and
again, and moistened it with tears. Low sobs and endearing names for
the brave darling who had been willing to sacrifice her life to
preserve theirs fell from their lips. Poor, rude, frontier maids, they
had shown an equal bravery all through the defence, and proved
them