The river was pretty wide at this point, but it was shallow, and both sides were covered with trees and bushes.
The guide was not long in sighting a deer, and soon the crack of his revolver sounded its death-knell.
The two men were soon busy cooking venison-steaks over the fire. They ate their dinner and then cooked the remainder of the deer over the fire. The guide knew that if Chauncy was rescued the whites would have to make tracks pretty lively, for the Indians would be terribly mad. They intended to torture the young man in every conceivable manner for he had got the young Donna away from them. They did not know about the panther, and thought that had it not been for the young man the Donna would never have got away the second time.
Darkness at length came upon the scene. At length the moon arose and lighted up the earth with her beautiful light.
Several hours passed away and then the tramping of horses came from the plain. Then the loud, mournful hoot of the owl echoed through the trees.
“It is them,” cried the guide, and immediately the cry of the loon startled the Frenchman. It was the guide returning the signal.
CHAPTER IX.
THE WHITE WIZARD DRUGS THE GUARD.
Chauncy was thrust back into the prison-lodge and two guards posted around it. The Comanches did not mean to let him escape if they could possibly help it.
There was altogether about ten men killed, and the Indians intended to let the whole of their vengeance fall upon Chauncy.
The young hunter walked up and down in his lodge, thinking of the Donna Iola. Sleeping or waking the Donna was uppermost in his thoughts. What a pity it was that after coming together in such a curious way they should be separated.