"But, Captain Wells," she insisted, as he turned away, "I am
exceedingly hungry, and doubt not this youth would also be much the
better for a bit of food."

"It will have to be eaten as you travel, then," he answered, not
unkindly, but with all his thought now fixed on other things, "for our
duty is to reach Dearborn at the first moment, and save those prisoned
there from death, and worse."

I shall always remember each detail of that day's march, though I saw
but little of Toinette save in stolen glances backward, Wells keeping
me close at his side, while De Croix, as debonair as ever, was her
constant shadow, ministering assiduously to her wants and cheering her
journey with agreeable discourse. I heard much of their chatter,
earnestly as I sought to remain deaf to it. To this end Wells aided me
but little, for he rode forward in stern silence, completely absorbed
in his own thoughts.

During the first few hours we passed through a dull desolation of
desert sand, the queerly shaped hills on either side scarcely breaking
the dead monotony, although they often hid from our sight our advance
scouts, and made us feel isolated and alone. Once or twice I imagined
I heard the deepening roar of waves bursting upon the shore-line to our
right, but could gain no glimpse of blue water through those obscuring
dunes. We were following a well-worn Indian trail, beaten hard by many
a moccasined foot; and at last it ran from out the coarser sand and
skirted along the western beach, almost at the edge of the waves. 'T
was a most delightful change from the cramped and narrowed vision that
had been ours so long. Our faces were now set almost directly