soldier.

"Then come; I'll break trail."

"Where is the Indian village?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Beyond those bluffs; at least Hughes thought so. We saw their pony
herd in the valley below, mere dots against the snow."

Ten minutes later, ploughing through the intervening drifts, they came
forth to the broad vista of the valley and the two patient ponies
standing motionless.




CHAPTER XXXIII

MOLLY'S STORY

The two rode steadily, following the trail left by Hamlin and Hughes
earlier in the morning. As there had been no wind, and the cold had
crusted the snow, the tracks left by the two ponies were easily
followed. As they skirted the ridge the Indian pony herd could be
distinguished, sufficiently close by this time to leave no doubt as to
what they were. Hamlin cautiously kept back out of sight in the breaks
of the ridge, although his keen eyes, searching the upper valley,
discovered no sign of pursuit. Tired as Dupont's horse undoubtedly
was, he might not yet have attained the Indian encampment, which, in
truth, might be much farther away than Hughes had supposed. The fact