"Remain in concealment, here?"
"Not here, exactly, nor yet very far distant."
"Can it be done?"
"I think it can, with safety—else had not named it."
"And whence will you seek succour?"
"When God and the fortunes of war shall send it. Perhaps not higher than the general's camp—perhaps I may stumble on Jack Hays, or Walker, or McCulloch, or Gillespie's rangers. They are on the scout almost all the time, either in the van or rear of the army; and now I think it likely they will be down here away, with the intent to open our communication. God send that they may."
"God send it so, indeed," replied Arthur Gordon, earnestly. "But what has led you so completely to alter your views and intentions?"
"That which I have seen with my own eyes, or heard with my own ears, last night."
"And what may that have been?"
"Listen. I was awakened last night by the sound of a scuffle and a faint groan. Before I could get on my feet, however, I had the pleasure of seeing that scoundrel, whose life we spared in the morning—and a stupid thing we did in sparing it—lead his horse out of the circle and leap on his back. There was no use in awakening you, so I untethered Emperor as quickly as I could, and out in pursuit of him. For all the speed I could make, he had got full a half mile away on the open prairie before I was in the saddle; but I cared little enough for that, seeing that in a five miles' race, I knew well enough that I could make up such a gap as that, and overhaul him, too, without much trouble. But what did vex me, and set me to thinking, was, that instead of making the best of his way back over the ground we had traversed in the morning, he struck off here to the north-west, riding as straight as if he had been following a beaten track, without a sign of hesitation, or so much as looking behind him."