ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



ing, blood-thirsty warrior on his mission of re- 

 venge. 



As soon as the appalling news of the rash act 

 of the ranchman was known, hurried prepara- 

 tions were made for our departure. With pale, 

 anxious faces each would stop and listen to 

 every strange sound, momentarily expecting to 

 be surprised by the infuriated savages. At last 

 the few necessary things were gathered together 

 into a covered wagon and with the neighbors 

 who had joined us we were soon on our way 

 across the plains to the Fort. 



As we rode along in the hot sun we noticed 

 many small, black objects looming up in the dis- 

 tance and as often feared they might prove to be 

 a band of hostile Indians. In a short time, 

 however, the objects became plainer when it 

 was seen they were great herds of buffalo num- 

 bering many thousand head slowly moving 

 northward. The prairie was literally dotted with 

 the huge forms of these noble animals almost 

 as far as the eye could see. When we drew 

 nearer to them we saw the larger herd was 

 separated into many smaller ones with the bulls 

 of each group on the outside of their own 



