Snowdrop, after she had left the scout, was obliged to ride very slowly until she was over the rough hills, but after she had reached the open prairie she increased the speed of her horse.
She was a fearless rider, but the long, treeless plain which lay stretched out before her wore a dreary aspect, well calculated to discourage her.
But her mission was one of life or death to her, and she undertook the task.
The sun was just rising as she entered the plains, and putting her tough pony to the run, she dashed ahead. She was doing all this for what? Not for herself, for she would have preferred to remain with the scout; nor yet for her father, for she did not think Red Pine would spare him so long; but she was going just because the man she loved had asked her to go!
Onward the brave girl urged her horse until the sun was nearly overhead, still no signs of the Sioux. She paused a moment to allow her horse a breathing-spell, and while resting she discovered a party of horsemen on her trail, and though they were a long ways off, she knew by the way in which they rode that they had a definite object, and that that object was herself.
She was convinced that a long and tiresome race was before her; and, having been reared to a life of peril and strategy, she allowed her horse a long rest, that he might the better stand the race.
She displayed her good sense by removing the saddle from the horse, and now, armed only with a small rifle, she sprung upon his back and put him to his best speed.
On the brave girl rode—on, over the treeless and trackless waste, and only at long intervals did a roll in the prairie obstruct her view of her pursuers. At length she came to a small stream running at right angles with the path she was pursuing, and here she paused again to allow her horse to drink.
The advancing party, whoever they were, gained rapidly upon her, until she could now count their number. There were twenty of them, all well mounted, and by the manner in which they rode, she was no longer in doubt as to their object.
Far ahead she saw a long, dark line of timber, just beyond which, she knew, was the village of her people, and she thought if she could only gain that, she would be safe; and she resolved to gain the shelter of the forest, or die in the attempt.
Slowly but surely her pursuers gained upon her, and she could now hear their yells. The sound maddened her, and the very thought of failure made her heart sick; but she lashed her horse to renewed and desperate efforts.
Her horse, too, seemed to partake of the same fear and feelings as his mistress. A few rods more and she will be among the trees where she trusted she could elude her pursuers.
Vain hope! Just as the goal is won her horse falls, and the blood flowing from his dilated nostrils shows that he has ruptured a blood-vessel. A shrill yell of triumph comes from her pursuers, yet standing firm beside her dead horse, the brave Indian girl brings her rifle to bear upon them.
Never did a stricken buck turn more fiercely at bay upon the dogs on its track, than did Snowdrop when she found that she could not escape.
With Spartan firmness she held the short rifle, and when she thought they were near enough, pulled the trigger, and the foremost Indian fell from his saddle. She had not time to reload her rifle, but clubbing it, she awaited the approach of the Sioux.
Short time was given her for thought, and she was almost immediately surrounded and overpowered, but not until a brawny warrior had been made to bite the dust at her feet.
She was lifted to the saddle made vacant by her shot, and the young brave who seemed to be the leader took her bridle-rein, and they turned to retrace their way across the prairie.
"Do you speak the language of the pale-faces?" asked the warrior.
"Yes," answered Snowdrop.
"Then tell me who you are, and what tribe you belong to."
"I am called Snowdrop, and my father is Gray Eagle, the great chief of the Blackfeet."
"The White Wolf of the Pawnees has heard of Snowdrop before," he said.
"Are you White Wolf?" she asked.
"So I am called by both red men and white!" he replied.
"I have heard that White Wolf was a brave chief. If it is true, he will not make war on a woman!"
"No. Snowdrop need not fear! White Wolf already loves her and will make her his wife, for she is more beautiful than any woman of the Pawnee tribe!"
"But Snowdrop loves another, and can not go to the lodge of White Wolf, though he is a great brave and all the tribes fear him."
"White Wolf is in no hurry, and Snowdrop will learn to love him. We will wait till we get to the village of the Pawnees, and then when White Wolf asks her to be his wife she will say yes!"
"No, she will not; but if White Wolf loves Snowdrop, as he says he does, then let him go and rescue her father from the hands of the Sioux, for if he should die, then Snowdrop will die, too!"
"White Wolf will rescue Gray Eagle. Will Snowdrop tell him where her father is?"
"In the forest beyond the big hills which I left when the sun rose."
"White Wolf will go there, and he will take Gray Eagle from the cowardly Sioux, and when Snowdrop sees her father safe, then she will consent to be the wife of the Pawnee chief."
Snowdrop did not promise that she would, neither did she say that she would not; nor yet did she dare to tell him that the two scouts were doing what he was trying to do.
She acted wisely and kept silence, which White Wolf construed in his favor, and he said:
"We will go to our camp to the south, where I have a good place to leave Snowdrop in safety, then White Wolf will go on the trail of the Sioux. He will find them, and will bring the father of Snowdrop away with him!"
"Let Snowdrop ride back with the Pawnee braves," she said.
"No," replied White Wolf; "the Pawnees will ride fast, and Snowdrop is too tired. She must go to the camp of White Wolf, and stay until he brings her father to her."
Snowdrop did not repeat her request, for she knew that it would do no good, and that it would be a mere waste of words for her to do so. She bowed her head in submission, and soon saw all but two of the Pawnees start toward the west. The remaining two placed themselves upon each side of her horse, and one of them taking her bridle-rein, they started for the south.
When Jehiel took the trail of Snowdrop it was without much hope of overtaking her, for he knew that the brave girl would ride fast when she knew there was so much at stake, and she had a long ways the start of him.
But he was better mounted than she, and had no difficulty in finding and following her trail, and before noon he had her in sight.
He saw the party of horsemen come from the south and start in pursuit of her, and by the aid of a powerful field-glass he saw her capture and the manner in which she was disposed of, though he could not tell what tribe had done it.
He saw when the party of which Snowdrop was one, left the main body and started south, and he also saw the main body riding swiftly over the back track.
He turned his horse to the right, and when the larger party had arrived at the place where he left the trail, he was but a few miles away, and it was with a grunt of satisfaction that he saw them pass on and ride away toward the hills where he had left the scout.
Jehiel waited very patiently until they had passed out of sight, then he found the trail of the party who had charge of Snowdrop, and he started after her.
"Them fellers what has my gal will be mighty apt to meet with an adventure afore mornin', or my name ain't Jehiel Filkins. Gosh! but I wish I had the sweet critter in my arms this minnit! Wonder what Jemima Brown will say when she hears I am married to jest the prettiest little girl in America? Sartain, I hain't axed her yet, but I don't reckon she would refuse such a good-looking fellow as me."
He was thus soliloquizing as he reached the woods, and here he stopped. Finding a good place for his horse, he resumed his way on foot.
It was now nearly dark, and he was obliged to proceed cautiously, imagining that the Indians might have seen him following after them.
Leaving the beaten trail he carefully worked his way through the bushes, pausing occasionally to listen. No sound of falling hoofs was to be heard, and he again crept on.
Proceeding in this manner for about half a mile he discovered the glimmer of a camp-fire between the trees.
In the small opening three tired horses were leisurely feeding, while the Indians were busily engaged in building a fire and preparing their supper.
Snowdrop was sitting behind a tree with her hands and feet securely bound, and an expression of deep anxiety upon her face.
As Jehiel gazed at the group, he thought how easy it would be to shoot the two Indians, but he was not one to shed blood unnecessarily, and he determined to wait. He must contrive some way to let the girl know of his presence, but the question of how was a hard one to solve.
The trees surrounding the little camp were large, and the space open, so that he could advance no nearer without betraying his presence.
He solved the problem in his own quaint way. Depositing his rifle at the foot of the tree beside which he stood, he began to climb the tree. Once among the branches, the foliage of which he found dense enough for his purpose, he had no difficulty in making his way to the next nearest tree.
Creeping along the branches as stealthily as a panther, he passed from one tree to another until he found himself at the side of the opening, and directly opposite the tree near which Snowdrop was seated.
He was in imminent danger of being discovered, but with an intrepidity peculiar to the brave scout, he set about arranging his plans for the future.