aised their hats to us as they rushed past, and our officers recognized
General Crook, but we could not, in the cloud of dust, distinguish
officers from scouts. All wore the flannel shirt, handkerchief tied
about the neck, and broad campaign hat.

After supper that evening, the conversation turned upon Indians in
general, and Apaches in particular. We camped always at a basin, or a
tank, or a hole, or a spring, or in some canon, by a creek. Always from
water to water we marched. Our camp that night was in the midst of a
primeval grove of tall pine trees; verily, an untrodden land. We had a
big camp-fire, and sat around it until very late. There were only five
or six officers, and Mrs. Bailey and myself.

The darkness and blackness of the place were uncanny. We all sat looking
into the fire. Somebody said, "Injuns would not have such a big fire as
that."

"No; you bet they wouldn't," was the quick reply of one of the officers.

Then followed a long pause; we all sat thinking, and gazing into the
fire, which crackled and leaped into fitful blazes.

"Our figures must make a mighty good outline against that fire,"
remarked one of officers, nonchalantly; "I dare say those stealthy sons
of Satan know exactly where we are at this minute," he added.

"Yes, you bet your life they do!" answered one of the younger men,
lapsing into the frontiersman's language, from the force of his
convictions.

"Look behind you at those trees, Jack," said Major Worth. "Can you see
anything? No! And if there were an Apache behind each one of them, we
should never know it."

We all turned and peered into the black darkness which surrounded us.

Another pause followed; the silence was weird--only the cracking of the
fire was heard, and the mournful soughing of the wind in the pines.

Suddenly, a crash! We started to our feet and faced around.

"A dead branch," said some one.

Major Worth shrugged his shoulders, and turning to Jack, said, in a low
tone, "D---- d if I don't believe I'm getting nervous," and saying "good
night," he walked towards his tent.

No element of doubt pervaded my mind as to my own state. The weird
feeling of being up in those remote mountain passes, with but a handful
of soldiers against the wary Apaches, the mysterious look of those black
tree-trunks, upon which flickered the uncertain light of the camp-fire
now dying, and from behind each one of which I imagined a red devil
might be at that moment taking aim w