and good to look upon, "with dark eyes and auburn hair, the latter long
and heavy and in the sunlight richly colored"; that she had slender
fingers and a beautiful skin, all showing that she had been delicately
bred. He adds that he envied the boy who had ridden before and behind
her half the length of Tryon County.

It was a close association and Jack found it so agreeable that he often
referred to that ride as the most exciting adventure of his life.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Margaret Hare," she answered.

"How did they catch you?"

"Oh, they came suddenly and stealthily, as they do in the story books,
when we were alone in camp. My father and the guides had gone out to
hunt."

"Did they treat you well?"

"The Indians let us alone, but the two white men annoyed and frightened
us. The old chief kept us near him."

"The old chief knew better than to let any harm come to you until they
were sure of getting away with their plunder."

"We were in the valley of death and you have led us out of it. I am
sure that I do not look as if I were worth saving. I suppose that I
must have turned into an old woman. Is my hair white?"