"Wife's cousin is a mighty smart man. Powerful smart. I 'low he knows a heap 'bout Injuns. Been with 'em so much. But we're sorter uneasy. More so to-day than we was yesterday. This waiting to see what'll happen is most as bad, if not worse, than to have a fight an' have it over with. Once a parcel of Injuns strikes, it either cleans us out or is licked an' don't want no more for a long time. Still Dale has a master lot of power among the Injuns. But we'll be glad to know you're out looking for fresh footing. Their trail oughter be easy to foller, as there was a smart number of 'em had hosses." "I'll find the trail easy enough, and I'll satisfy myself they are still making toward the Ohio or have swung back," I assured him. "While I'm gone keep the young men in the woods and post sentinels. Don't get careless. Don't let the children wander from the cabins. I'm free to tell you, Davis, that I don't believe for a second that you've seen the last of Black Hoof and his men. Have all those living in the outlying cabins use the fort to-night." After reaching the woods, I turned and looked back. Dale was standing in the doorway with one hand resting on the shoulder of John Ward. Ward was talking to Patsy, whose dainty figure could not be disguised by the coarse linsey gown. The man Ward must have lost some of his taciturnity, for the girl was laughing gaily at whatever he was saying. I observed that Dale was still feeling very important in his role of protector, for as he stepped from the doorway he walked with a swagger. Well, God give that he was right and that the menace had passed from Howard's Creek. I found the trail where it turned back toward Tygart's Valley, even as John Ward had reported, and followed it up the Greenbriar. The country here was very fertile on both sides of the river and would make rich farms should the danger from the Indians ever permit it to be settled. Farther back from the river on each hand the country was broken and mountainous and afforded excellent hiding-places for large bodies of Indians, as only rattlesnakes, copperheads, wolves and wildcats lived there. My mood was equal to overdaring, and all because of Patsy Dale. When the sun swung into its western arc I halted where a large number of warriors had broken their fast. I ate some food and pushed on. After two miles of travel I came to a branching of the trail. Two of the band had turned off to the northeast. My interest instantly shifted from the main trail to the smaller one, for I assumed the two were scouting some particular neighborhood, and that by following it I would learn the object of their attention and be enabled to give warning.