ve is made by
these nomadic people. He sees fragments of cut _sipos_ and bits of
raw-hide thong--the overplus left after packing.

Though no longer alarmed for the safety of the Indians, he is,
nevertheless, still surprised and perplexed. What could have taken them
away from the _tolderia_, and whither can they have gone? Strange, too,
Naraguana should have left the place in such unceremonious fashion,
without giving him, Halberger, notice of his intention! Their absence
on this occasion cannot be accounted for by any hunting or foraging
expedition, nor can it be a foray of war. In any of these cases the
women and children would have been left behind. Beyond doubt, it is an
absolute abandonment of the place; perhaps with no intention of
returning to it; or not for a very long time.

Revolving these thoughts through his mind, Halberger climbs back into
his saddle, and sits further reflecting. His daughter, who has not
dismounted, trots up to his side, she, too, in as much wonderment as
himself; for, although but a very young creature, almost a child in age,
she has passed through experiences that impart the sageness of years.
She knows of all the relationships which exist between them and the
Tovas tribe, and knows something of why her father fled from his old
home; that is, she believes it to have been through fear of El Supremo,
the "bogie" of every Paraguayan child, boy or girl. Aware of the
friendship of the Tovas chief, and the protection he has extended to
them, she now shares her father's surprise, as she had his
apprehensions.

They exchange thoughts on the subject--the child equally perplexed with
the parent; and after an interval passed in conjecturing, all to no
purpose, Halberger is about to turn and ride home again, when it occurs
to him he had better find out in what direction the Indians went away
from their village.

There is no difficulty in discovering this; the trail of their ridden
horses, still more that of their pack animals, is easily found and
followed. It leads out from the village at the opposite end from that
by which they themselves entered; and after following it for a mile or
so along the river's bank, they see that it takes an abrupt turn across
the _pampa_. Up to this point it has been quite conspicuous, and is
also beyond; for although it is anything but recent, no rain has since
fallen, and the hoof-prints of the horses can be here and there
distinguished clean cut on the