"Oh, Mr. West!" she cried. "We are so glad you are here now!"
Naturally I was full of interest and curiosity, and asked the cause of the trouble. Then they told me that Dr. Ambrose had escaped, by the connivance of some one, I guessed, and had fled to the mountains. The colonel, discovering his escape, had called upon his men to pursue him, and if necessary shoot him on sight. They had refused unanimously to go, and the colonel in his rage had taken his old army rifle and had gone alone.
Here in truth was a pretty muddle. The colonel's state of mind was such that without doubt he would shoot the doctor if he found an opportunity, which would be a double tragedy to all the people of Fort Defiance.
"The colonel must be pursued and overtaken," I said.
"At once," said Grace, with an emphasis that showed I had only seconded her own argument.
Crothers and all the others looked at me as if waiting for a suggestion. I seemed by an easy transition to change from the prisoner of Fort Defiance to its chief. Since they looked upon me as such, that I decided to be.
"What road did the colonel take?" I asked of Crothers.
"There is only one passable way out of the mountains," replied Crothers; "the one you followed. We know that both the doctor and the colonel took it."
I saw a look of intelligence pass between him and Grace, and I wondered no longer at the doctor's escape or his destination. Our duty and the method of doing it were plainly before us.