"Cut a lock for me, too," whispered Elizabeth.
Tears were in the eyes of both as they took their last look at their murdered friend; but the presence of still imminent danger, and the necessity of losing no time in seeking their party before their strength should be exhausted, admonished them to linger no longer. Under a burning sky, across the desolate, hot, unsheltered desert, without food or water to refresh them, they took up their march.
CHAPTER VI.
FOR LIFE OR DEATH.
Before his swimming sight
Does not a figure bound,
And a soft voice, with wild delight,
Proclaim the lost is found?
No, hunter no!—Alfred Street.
They sat them down upon the yellow sand,
Between the sun and moon upon the plain.—Lotus-Eaters.
It was noon of the second day since Buckskin Joe and the sallow stranger of the other train left their respective companies in search of the missing girl.
"It's no use, Mister; we may as well put back in time to save our own skins. We'll never set eyes on that gal ag'in. Vittals is scarce and water scarcer; we may as well put back to the train. If we start now we can overhaul 'em before morning—the way back is more direct than the one we've took, and the moon'll be up so we can travel a'most all night."
They had been trotting along at a languid pace, their horses panting with heat and thirst, for some time before Joe made this remark. He made it now in a tone which told how reluctant he was to come to such a conclusion.