THE TEXAN HUNTRESS. 291 
of the plains. The camel must carry our civilization over 
these deserts, as it has brought that of the ancient east upon 
its uncouth back towards the triumphing West. 
I stopped my horse entirely, and dropping the reins upon 
his back, urged him slightly with my spurs—very slightly. 
When he found himself free, he shook his head to realize it, 
and then, stopping, turned his gaze around and around him 
several times—but yet he seemed to be bewildered, and only 
moved hesitatingly, first in this direction and then in that. 
If he had taken his course at once, I should have felt some 
hope—but my heart sank in me as I saw from his manner 
that he felt what was expected of him, but had become con- 
fused. Had he ‘taken any particular direction and pursued 
it steadily, with accelerated speed, I should have been entirely 
secure, because then I would have been impressed that he 
knew he was right, and could ultimately bear us through. 
His hesitation, however, convinced me that I was as utterly 
lost as ever rudderless ship, without a compass, was upon a 
shoreless sea—but yet I felt, too, that I had better trust to 
him than to myself. My imagination had confused me, while 
physical exhaustion had rendered his instinct too insecure. 
He was evidently as afraid of being trusted as I to trust. 
However, after a pause of a few moments, he moved on, 
turning back nearly in the direction we had come. At first 
I was pleased with this selection, as it seemed to indicate the 
possible truth of my own surmise, that I had started nearly 
right, but had passed the plantation. This poor consolation, 
however, did not outlive the approach of night, which came 
in heavy shadows, portending a storm, such as thunders and 
rages along these southern plains occasionally. My miserable 
horse was now nearly exhausted, and staggered as he dragged 
his limbs heavily through the high grass. We were still in 
the prairie with nothing around us but the great oceaa of 
grass, which was beginning to toss and sway with the advance 
winds of the coming tornado. 
