rds；　and　thought　was　a　burden　quite　intolerable；　it　was　enough　to　stumble　on　through　the　partial　light；　with　a　mind　as　gray　and　blank　as　the　rain…blurred　distance。
  At　noon　the　clouds　broke；　and　an　hour　later　the　sunshine　was　streaming　down　from　a　cloudless　heaven；　beneath　which　the　forest　lay　clear　before　us；　naught　stirring　save　shy　sylvan　creatures　to　whom　it　mattered　not　if　red　man　or　white　held　the　land。
  Side　by　side　Diccon　and　I　hurried　on；　not　speaking；　keeping　eye　and　ear　open；　proposing　with　all　our　will　to　reach　the　goal　we　had　set；　and　to　reach　it　in　time；　let　what　might　oppose。　It　was　but　another　forced　march；　many　had　we　made　in　our　time；　through　dangers　manifold；　and　had　lived　to　tell　the　tale。
  There　was　no　leisure　in　which　to　play　the　Indian　and　cover　up　our　footprints　as　we　made　them；　but　when　we　came　to　a　brook　we　stepped　into　the　cold；　swift…flowing　water；　and　kept　it　company　for　a　while。　The　brook　flowed　between　willows；　thickly　set；　already　green；　and　overarching　a　yard　or　more　of　water。　Presently　it　bent　sharply；　and　we　turned　with　it。　Ten　yards　in　front　of　us　the　growth　of　willows　ceased　abruptly；　the　low；　steep　banks　shelved　downwards　to　a　grassy　level；　and　the　stream　widened　into　a　clear　and　placid　pool；　as　blue　as　the　sky　above。　Crouched　upon　the　grass　or　standing　in　the　shallow　water　were　　some　fifteen　or　twenty　deer。　We　had　come　upon　them　without　noise；　the　wind　blew　from　them　to　us；　and　the　willows　hid　us　from　their　sight。　There　was　no　alarm；　and　we　stood　a　moment　watching　them　before　we　should　throw　a　stone　or　branch　into　their　midst　and　scare　them　from　our　path。
  Suddenly；　as　we　looked；　the　leader　threw　up　his　head；　made　a　spring；　and　was　off　like　a　dart；　across　the　stream　and　into　the　depths　of　the　forest　beyond。　The　herd　followed。　A　moment；　and　there　were　only　the　trodden　grass　and　the　troubled　waters；　no　other　sign　that　aught　living　had　passed　that　way。
  〃Now　what　was　that　for？〃　muttered　Diccon。　〃I'm　thinking　we　had　best　not　take　to　the　open　just　yet。〃
  For　answer　I　parted　the　willows；　and　forced　myself　into　the　covert；　pressing　as　closely　as　possible　against　the　bank；　and　motioning　him　to　do　the　same。　He　obeyed；　and　the　thick…clustering　gold…green　twigs　swung　into　place　again；　shutting　us　in　with　the　black　water　and　the　leafy；　crumbling　bank。　From　that　green　dimness　we　could　look　out　upon　the　pool　and　the　grass；　with　small　fear　that　we　ourselves　would　be　seen。
  Out　of　the　shadow　of　the　trees　into　the　grassy　space　stepped　an　Indian；　a　second　followed；　a　third；　a　fourth；　…　one　by　one　they　came　from　the　gloom　into　the　sunlight；　until　we　had　counted　a　score　or　more。　They　made　no　pause；　a　glance　telling　them　to　what　were　due　the　trampled　grass　and　the　muddied　water。　As　they　crossed　the　stream　one　stooped　and　drank　from　his　hand；　but　they　said　no　word　and　made　no　noise。　All　were　painted　black；　a　few　had　face　and　chest　striped　with　yellow。　Their　headdresses　were　tall　and　wonderful；　their　leggings　and　moccasins　fringed　with　　scalp　locks；　their　hatchets　glinted　in　the　sunshine；　and　their　quivers　were　stuck　full　of　arrows。　One　by　one　they　glided　from　the　stream　into　the　thick　woods　beyond。　We　waited　until　we　knew　that　they　were　were　deep　in　the　forest；　then　crept　from　the　willows　and　went　our　way。
  〃They　were　Youghtenunds；〃　I　said；　in　the　low　tones　we　used　when　we　spoke　at　all；　〃and　they　went　to　the　southward。〃
  〃We　may　thank　our　stars　that　they　missed　our　trail；〃　Diccon　answered。
  We　spoke　no　more；　but；　leaving　the　stream；　struck　again　toward　the　south。　The　day　wore　on；　and　still　we　went　without　pause。　Sun　and　shade　and　keen　wind；　long　stretches　of　pine　and　open　glades　where　we　quickened　our　pace　to　a　run；　dense　woods；　snares　of　leafless　vines；　swamp　and　thicket　through　which　we　toiled　so　slowly　that　the　heart　bled　at　the　delay；　streams　and　fallen　trees；　…　on　and　on　we　hurried；　until　the　sun　sank　and　the　dusk　came　creeping　in　upon　us。
  〃We've　dined　with　Duke　Humphrey　to…day；〃　said　Diccon　at　last；　〃but　if　we　can　keep　this　pace；　and　don't　meet　any　more　war　parties；　or　fall　foul　of　an　Indian　village；　or　have　to　fight　the　wolves　to…night；　we'll　dine　with　the　Governor　to…morrow。　What's　that？〃
  〃That〃　was　the　report　of　a　musket；　and　a　spent　ball　had　struck　me　above　the　knee；　bruising　the　flesh　beneath　the　leather　of　my　boot。
  We　wheeled；　and　looked　in　the　direction　whence　lead　come　that　unwelcome　visitor。　There　was　naught　to　be　seen。　It　was　dusk　in　the　distance；　and　there　were　thickets　too；　and　fallen　logs。　Where　that　ambuscade　was　planted；　if　one　or　twenty　Indians　lurked　　in　the　dusk　behind　the　trees；　or　lay　on　the　further　side　of　those　logs；　or　crouched　within　a　thicket；　no　mortal　man　could　tell。
  〃It　was　a　spent　ball；〃　I　said。　〃Our　best　hope　is　in　our　heels。〃
  〃There　are　pines　beyond；　and　smooth　going；〃　he　answered；　〃but　if　ever　I　thought　to　run　from　an　Indian！〃
  Without　more　ado　we　started。　If　we　could　outstrip　that　marksman；　if　we　could　even　hold　our　distance　until　night　had　fallen；　all　might　yet　be　well。　A　little　longer；　and　even　an　Indian　must　fire　at　random；　moreover；　we　might　reach　some　stream　and　manage　to　break　our　trail。　The　ground　was　smooth　before　us；　…　too　smooth；　and　slippery　with　pine　needles；　the　pines　themselves　stood　in　grim　brown　rows；　and　we　ran　between　them　lightly　and　easily；　husbanding　our　strength。　Now　and　again　one　or　the　other　looked　behind；　but　we　saw　only　the　pines　and　the　gathering　dusk。　Hope　was　strengthening　in　us；　when　a　second　bullet　dug　into　the　earth　just　beyond　us。
  Diccon　swore　beneath　his　breath。　〃It　struck　deep；〃　he　muttered。　〃The　dark　is　slow　in　coming。〃
  A　minute　later；　as　I　ran　with　my　head　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　our　pursuer；　dimly；　like　a　deeper　shadow　in　the　shadows　far　down　the　arcade　behind　us。　There　was　but　one　man；　…　a　tall　warrior；　strayed　aside　from　his　band；　perhaps；　or　bound　upon　a　warpath　of　his　own。　The　musket　that　he　carried　some　English　fool　had　sold　him　for　a　mess　of　pottage。
  Putting　forth　all　our　strength；　we　ran　for　our　lives；　and　for　the　lives　of　many　others。　Before　us　the　pine　wood　sloped　down　to　a　deep　and　wide　thicket；　and　beyond　the　thicket　a　line　of　sycamores　promised　water。　　If　we　could　reach　the　thicket；　its　close　embrace　would　hide　us；　…　then　the　darkness　and　the　stream。　A　third　shot；　and　Diccon　staggered　slightly。
  〃For　God's　sake；　not　struck；　man？〃　I　cried。
  〃It　grazed　my　arm；〃　he　panted。　〃No　harm　done。　Here's　the　thicket！〃
  Into　the　dense　growth　we　broke；　reckless　of　the　blood　which　the　sharp　twigs　drew　from　face　and　hands。　The　twigs　met　in　a　thick　roof　over　our　heads；　that　was　all　we　cared　for；　and　through　the　network　we　saw　one　of　the　larger　stars　brighten　into　being。　The　thicket　was　many　yards　across。　When　we　had　gone　thirty　feet　down　we　crouched　and　waited　for　the　dark。　If　our　enemy　followed　us；　he　must　do　so　at　his　peril；　with　only　his　knife　for　dependence。
  One　by　one　the　stars　swam　into　sight；　until　the　square　of　sky　above　us　was　thickly　studded。　There　was　no　sound；　and　no　living　thing　could　have　entered　that　thicket　without　noise。　For　what　seemed　an　eternity；　we　waited；　then　we　rose　and　broke　our　way　through　the　bushes　to　the　sycamores；　to　find　that　they　indeed　shadowed　a　little　sluggish　stream。
  Down　this　we　waded　for　some　distance　before　taking　to　dry　earth　again。　Since　entering　the　thicket　we　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　suspicious；　and　were　now　fain　to　conclude　that　the　dark　warrior　had　wearied　of　the　chase；　and　was　gone　on　his　way　toward　his　mates　and　that　larger　and　surer　quarry　which　two　suns　would　bring。　Certain　it　is　that　we　saw　no　more　of　him。
  The　stream　flowing　to　the　south；　we　went　with　it；　hurrying　along　its　bank；　beneath　the　shadow　of　great　trees；　with　the　stars　gleaming　down　through　the　branches。　It　was　cold　and　still；　and　far　in　the　distance　we　heard　wolves　hunting。　As　for　me；　I　felt　no　　weariness。　Every　sense　was　sharpened；　my　feet　were　light；　the　keen　air　was　like　wine　in　the　drinking；　there　was　a　star　low　in　the　south　that　shone　and　beckoned。　The　leagues　between　my　wife　and　me　were　few。　I　saw　her　standing　beneath　the　star；　with　a　little　purple　flower　in　her　hand。
  Suddenly；　a　bend　in　the　stream　hiding　the　star；　I　became　aware　that　Diccon　was　no　longer　keeping　step　with　me；　but　had　fallen　somewhat　to　the　rear。　I　turned；　and　he　was　leaning　heavily；　with　drooping　head；　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。
  〃Art　so　worn　as　that？〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Put　more　heart　into　thy　heels；　man！〃
  He　straightened　himself　and　strode　on　beside　me。　〃I　don't　know　what　came　over　me　for　a　minute；〃　he　answered。　〃The　wolves　are　loud　to…night。　I　hope　they'll　keep　to　their　side　of　the　water。〃
  A　stone's　throw　farther　on；　the　stream　curving　to　the　west；　we　left　it；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　sparsely　wooded　glade；　with　a　bare　and　sandy　soil　beneath　our　feet；　and　above；　in　the　western　sky；　a　crescent　moon。　Again　Diccon　lagged　behind；　and　presently　I　heard　him　groan　in　the　darkness。
  I　wheeled。　〃Diccon！〃　I　cried。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃
  Before　I　could　reach　him　he　had　sunk　to　his　knees。　When　I　put　my　hand　upon　his　arm　and　again　demanded　what　ailed　him；　he　tried　to　laugh；　then　tried　to　swear；　and　ended　with　another　groan。　〃The　ball　did　graze　my　arm；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　went　on　into　my　side。　I'll　just　lie