A DILEMMA. 



67 



country was rolling, and more open than any we had 

 seen. We passed through two Indian ranchos, and 

 a league beyond came to a dividing point, where 

 we found ourselves at a loss. Both were mere In- 

 dian footpaths, seldom or never traversed by horse- 

 men, and, having but one chance against us, we 

 selected that most directly in line with the one by 

 which we had come. In about an hour the di- 

 rection changed so much that we turned back, 

 and, after a toilsome ride, reached again the divi- 

 ding point, and turned into the other path. This 

 led us into a wild savanna surrounded by hills, and 

 very soon we found tracks leading off in different 

 directions, among which, in a short time, we be- 

 came perfectly bewildered. The whole distance 

 to Kewick was but three leagues ; we had been ri- 

 ding hard six hours, and began to fear that we had 

 made a mistake in turning back, and at every step 

 were going more astray. In the midst of our per- 

 plexities we came upon an Indian leading a wild 

 colt, who, without asking any questions, or waiting 

 for any from us, waved us back, and, tying his colt to 

 a bush, led us across the plain into another path, fol- 

 lowing which some distance, he again struck across, 

 and put us into still another, where he left us, and 

 started to return to his colt. We were loth to lose 

 him, and urged him to continue as our guide ; but he 

 was impenetrable until we held up a medio, when he 

 again moved on before us. The whole region was 



