Dinner was eaten, and then they prepared to depart about the middle of the afternoon.
The air was rather cool now, and they enjoyed the ride very much. The horse that the Donna rode was a little refreshed by the rest, and could no doubt hold out until evening.
They had not gone a mile from the grove when Chauncy heard the sound of horses’ hoofs pounding upon the ground behind him, and turning in his saddle he saw to his extreme astonishment and chagrin, a band of Comanches coming after them.
They had tracked the Donna Iola to the grove, and were now following her.
CHAPTER III.
THE COMANCHES’ PRIZE.
Chauncy could not help wondering why he had not seen the Indians before. The truth of it, however, was, that he had not been on the look-out for them and hence did not see them.
They had come up to the grove, and when the young man first heard and saw them, were just coming out from among the trees. This was a sudden and startling interruption to the tete-a-tete he was having with the Donna Iola.
A word sufficed to explain to the Donna the cause of his pale face. Chauncy had no fear for himself. He was mounted on a fast horse and could have escaped in a trice, but he would sooner cut off his right hand than desert his fair companion.
The mustang was put to its fastest speed, and for a mile managed to keep its distance. Then the Indians began gaining, at first slowly and then more rapidly, until at length Chauncy saw that in fifteen minutes more the Comanches would overtake them. What then would be their fate?
He most probably would be burned at the stake, while the Donna would become the squaw of the chief, Red Buffalo.