“But surely you are not going to Big Draw!” the woman exclaimed in dismay.  “What will your father say?”

“Yes, I am going,” was the decided reply.  “What would daddy say if I shirked my duty?”

“But you are not going alone!”

“No.  I have given Sconda orders to get twenty of the best men in the village to accompany me.  We shall go by way of Crooked Trail, and should reach Big Draw by night.  God grant we may be in time!”

“But it isn’t safe, Glen,” Nannie urged.  “I can trust you with the Indians, all right, but suppose something should happen to you down there?”

“Don’t you worry, dear,” the girl soothed, as she gave the woman a parting kiss.  “I am quite capable of taking care of myself.”

“But where will you sleep to-night, or get anything to eat?” The question showed Nannie’s thoughtful, motherly concern.

“Oh, I haven’t thought about such things.  Anyway, I do not care whether I eat or sleep.  Most likely the Indians will take some food with them, and they will share with me.  There, now, I must be off.  So, good-by, Nannie, dear, and do not worry about me.”

“You must take your riding-cloak, though,” Nannie insisted.  “It may be cold to-night, and should it rain you will feel the good of it.  There, that’s better,” she added, as she placed the garment over the girl’s shoulders.  “I am afraid that your father will blame me for letting you go.”

Glen smiled at the woman’s fears as she again kissed her, and picking up her riding-gloves, she hurried out of the house and down to the village.  Here she found the twenty men awaiting her arrival, and Sconda holding Midnight.  She smiled as she saw them, and her heart warmed as never before to these faithful natives.  They were proud, too, of their young mistress, and were ready and willing to follow her anywhere, and to obey her slightest wish.  They were anxious, as well, for a tilt with the miners at Big Draw, for whom they had no great love.

In a few minutes Glen, mounted upon Midnight, was leading her little band out of Glen West on their ride over Crooked Trail.  The entire population of the place was on hand to watch their departure, for word had speedily spread about the trouble at Big Draw.  Men, women and children were clustered about the store, who gazed with the keenest interest as the column of relief pulled out of the village.  Glen’s eyes kindled with pride and animation as she turned and waved them a cheery good-by.  Then she touched Midnight lightly with her whip, at which the noble animal leaped forward, up the trail, through the woods, across the wild meadow, and into the pass.  The Indians found it difficult to keep pace with their young mistress, for Midnight was the fleetest horse that ever trod a northern trail.

As they advanced, however, it was necessary to travel slower, for the way was steep and rough, and it was only with considerable care that the horses could pick their steps.  Glen became impatient at this delay, for the sun was swinging low beyond the far-off mountain peaks, and she realised that if night overtook them in the hills it would greatly retard their progress, and perhaps make them too late in reaching Big Draw.