been contemplated.
    Volley swiftly succeeded volley, until the enraged squatter was reluctantly
compelled to abandon the idea of injuring his enemies, by means so feeble.
Relinquishing his fruitless attempt, he commenced a rapid pursuit, occasionally
discharging a rifle in order to give the alarm to the garrison, which he had
prudently left, under the command of the redoubtable Esther, herself. In this
manner the chase was continued for many minutes, the horsemen gradually gaining
on their pursuers, who maintained the race, however, with an incredible power of
foot.
    As the little speck of blue rose against the heavens, like an island issuing
from the deep, the savages occasionally raised a yell of triumph. But the mists
of evening were already gathering along the whole of the eastern margin of the
Prairie, and before the band had made half of the necessary distance, the dim
outline of the rock had melted into the haze of the background. Indifferent to
this circumstance, which rather favored than disconcerted his plans, Mahtoree,
who had again ridden in front, held on his course, with the accuracy of a hound
of the truest scent, merely slackening his speed a little, as the horses of his
party were, by this time, thoroughly blown. It was at this stage of the
enterprise, that the old man rode up to the side of Middleton, and addressed
him, as follows, in English -
    »Here is likely to be a thieving business, and one in which I must say, I
have but little wish to be a partner.«
    »What would you do. It would be fatal to trust ourselves in the hands of the
miscreants in our rear.«
    »Tut for miscreants, be they red or be they white. Look ahead, lad, as if ye
were talking of our medecines, or perhaps, praising the Teton beasts. For the
knaves love to hear their horses commended, the same as a foolish mother, in the
settlements, is fond of hearing the praises of her wilful child. So pat the
animal and lay your hand on the gew-gaws with which the red-skins have
ornamented his mane, giving your eye, as it were, to one thing, and your mind to
another. Listen, if matters are managed with judgement we may leave these Tetons
as the night sets in.«
    »A blessed thought!« exclaimed Middleton, who retained a painful remembrance
of the look of admiration with which Mahtoree had contemplated the loveliness of
Inez, as well as of his subsequent presumption in daring to wish to take the
office of her protecter on himself.