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It was getting darkerthey should be looking into the wagons now。
A new doubt began to assail him。 Ought he not； now that he was
rested； make the most of the remaining moments of daylight； and
before the glow faded from the west； when he would no longer have
any bearings to guide him？ But there was always the risk of waking
her！to what？ The fear of being confronted again with HER fear
and of being unable to pacify her； at last decided him to remain。
But he crept softly through the grass； and in the dust of the track
traced the four points of the compass； as he could still determine
them by the sunset light； with a large printed W to indicate the
west！ This boyish contrivance particularly pleased him。 If he had
only had a pole； a stick； or even a twig； on which to tie his
handkerchief and erect it above the clump of mesquite as a signal
to the searchers in case they should be overcome by fatigue or
sleep； he would have been happy。 But the plain was barren of brush
or timber； he did not dream that this omission and the very
unobtrusiveness of his hiding…place would be his salvation from a
greater danger。
With the coming darkness the wind arose and swept the plain with a
long…drawn sigh。 This increased to a murmur； till presently the
whole expansebefore sunk in awful silenceseemed to awake with
vague complaints； incessant sounds； and low moanings。 At times he
thought he heard the halloaing of distant voices； at times it
seemed as a whisper in his own ear。 In the silence that followed
each blast he fancied he could detect the creaking of the wagon；
the dull thud of the oxen's hoofs； or broken fragments of speech；
blown and scattered even as he strained his ears to listen by the
next gust。 This tension of the ear began to confuse his brain； as
his eyes had been previously dazzled by the sunlight； and a strange
torpor began to steal over his faculties。 Once or twice his head
dropped。
He awoke with a start。 A moving figure had suddenly uplifted
itself between him and the horizon！ It was not twenty yards away；
so clearly outlined against the still luminous sky that it seemed
even nearer。 A human figure； but so disheveled； so fantastic； and
yet so mean and puerile in its extravagance； that it seemed the
outcome of a childish dream。 It was a mounted figure； but so
ludicrously disproportionate to the pony it bestrode； whose slim
legs were stiffly buried in the dust in a breathless halt； that it
might have been a straggler from some vulgar wandering circus。 A
tall hat； crownless and rimless； a castaway of civilization；
surmounted by a turkey's feather； was on its head； over its
shoulders hung a dirty tattered blanket that scarcely covered the
two painted legs which seemed clothed in soiled yellow hose。 In
one hand it held a gun； the other was bent above its eyes in eager
scrutiny of some distant point beyond and east of the spot where
the children lay concealed。 Presently； with a dozen quick
noiseless strides of the pony's legs； the apparition moved to the
right； its gaze still fixed on that mysterious part of the horizon。
There was no mistaking it now！ The painted Hebraic face； the large
curved nose； the bony cheek； the broad mouth； the shadowed eyes；
the straight long matted locks！ It was an Indian！ Not the
picturesque creature of Clarence's imagination； but still an
Indian！ The boy was uneasy； suspicious； antagonistic； but not
afraid。 He looked at the heavy animal face with the superiority of
intelligence； at the half…naked figure with the conscious supremacy
of dress； at the lower individuality with the contempt of a higher
race。 Yet a moment after； when the figure wheeled and disappeared
towards the undulating west； a strange chill crept over him。 Yet
he did not know that in this puerile phantom and painted pigmy the
awful majesty of Death had passed him by。
〃Mamma！〃
It was Susy's voice； struggling into consciousness。 Perhaps she
had been instinctively conscious of the boy's sudden fears。
〃Hush！〃
He had just turned to the objective point of the Indian's gaze。
There WAS something！ A dark line was moving along with the
gathering darkness。 For a moment he hardly dared to voice his
thoughts even to himself。 It was a following train overtaking them
from the rear！ And from the rapidity of its movements a train with
horses； hurrying forward to evening camp。 He had never dreamt of
help from that quarter。 This was what the Indian's keen eyes had
been watching； and why he had so precipitately fled。
The strange train was now coming up at a round trot。 It was
evidently well appointed with five or six large wagons and several
outriders。 In half an hour it would be here。 Yet he refrained
from waking Susy； who had fallen asleep again； his old superstition
of securing her safety first being still uppermost。 He took off
his jacket to cover her shoulders； and rearranged her nest。 Then
he glanced again at the coming train。 But for some unaccountable
reason it had changed its direction； and instead of following the
track that should have brought it to his side it had turned off to
the left！ In ten minutes it would pass abreast of him a mile and a
half away！ If he woke Susy now； he knew she would be helpless in
her terror； and he could not carry her half that distance。 He
might rush to the train himself and return with help； but he would
never leave her alonein the darkness。 Never！ If she woke she
would die of fright； perhaps； or wander blindly and aimlessly away。
No！ The train would pass and with it that hope of rescue。
Something was in his throat； but he gulped it down and was quiet
again albeit he shivered in the night wind。
The train was nearly abreast of him now。 He ran out of the tall
grass； waving his straw hat above his head in the faint hope of
attracting attention。 But he did not go far； for he found to his
alarm that when he turned back again the clump of mesquite was
scarcely distinguishable from the rest of the plain。 This settled
all question of his going。 Even if he reached the train and
returned with some one； how would he ever find her again in this
desolate expanse？
He watched the train slowly passstill mechanically； almost
hopelessly； waving his hat as he ran up and down before the
mesquite； as if he were waving a last farewell to his departing
hope。 Suddenly it appeared to him that three of the outriders who
were preceding the first wagon had changed their shape。 They were
no longer sharp； oblong； black blocks against the horizon but had
become at first blurred and indistinct； then taller and narrower；
until at last they stood out like exclamation points against the
sky。 He continued to wave his hat； they continued to grow taller
and narrower。 He understood it nowthe three transformed blocks
were the outriders coming towards him。
This is what he had seen
＇Drawing of three black blocks＇
This is what he saw now
！ ！ ！
He ran back to Susy to see if she still slept； for his foolish
desire to have her saved unconsciously was stronger than ever now
that safety seemed so near。 She was still sleeping； although she
had moved slightly。 He ran to the f