Lone Wolf seemed meditating a charge down the valley, and once or twice a formidable number of his warriors were observed gathering upon the slope; but the moment they were discovered such a galling fire was poured in among them that they quickly scampered out of range.  The chief, beyond question, was infuriated by the manner in which he had been baffled, and this fury tempted him, perhaps, to a rash deed or two; but he speedily regained his shrewdness and drew his warriors off.

A careful reconnaisance, made an hour later, failed to show a single Apache.  The entire body had departed.

The special errand of Sut in venturing out was to effect the recapture of the lad.  The chance of success was very desperate, but upon that alone the scout had based his hopes.  Had the opportunity been tempting, the Apaches would have done all they could to head off any effort in that direction, but it is often by a sudden dash, when apparently there is no hope, that the most brilliant successes are made.  But the issue in the present case had been a complete failure, and Sut chafed greatly under the reflection, for everything connected with it was mortifying to him.

In the first place, he had been completely outwitted from beginning to end by his old enemy, Lone Wolf.  That chieftain, whom he detested with the very intensity of hatred, had snatched up the boy under his very nose, and made off with him.  The shot that had been fired to bring the war-chief to earth failed in its purpose, and while the hunter was forcing him into a corner he awoke to the fact that he was there himself, and it was only by a hair’s breadth that he succeeded in saving his bacon.

“But Sut Simpson don’t give up the job just yet,” said he, the next morning, in discussing the situation with Barnwell and the leading pioneers. ’’That younker has got himself in a scrape, through no fault of his own, and onless he gets a lift there’s no show for his pullin’ out of it.”

“Mickey O’Rooney is still absent, and he may be able to help you.”

But Sut shook his head.  He saw no prospect of any appreciable assistance from that quarter.

“He’s a good fellow, and I like him; but he’ll have all he can do to take care of himself.  When a chap undertakes to go it alone in these parts, he must never wink both eyes at the same time.”

“Suppose the Irishman has been killed?” ventured one of the men, who was somewhat shaken up by the events of the night before.  “It seems to me that it is very probable.”

“You’re right,” replied Sut, as if he were discussing the question of stock.  “Very likely he’s gone under.  We’ve all got to come to it sooner or later, and what’s the odds if one’s a little ahead of the other?”

By this time the speaker was astride his mustang, which was as fresh and eager as though he had not been subjected to the tremendous strain of the night before.  The little party of pioneers had come to look upon the scout as indispensable to their safety.  His timely warning of the coming of the Apaches had saved them from a frightful massacre, and he now gave them some parting advice, which could not be disregarded.