The plodding train was rounding into sight, and at the head was Jethro Mix on his horse. Alden waved his hand. The dusky fellow stared a minute unable to grasp the situation. Then, recognizing his young master, he banged his heels against the ribs of Jilk, and cantered up. “Gorrynation! if it doan’ do my eyes good to hear you and my ears good to see you! I’ve been worrying awful and was gwine to start out to hunt you up if you hadn’t been here.” In the exuberance of his delight, Jethro slipped to the ground and warmly shook the hand of the one whom he loved more than any person in the world. “We’ll camp hyar!” called Shagbark to the teamsters, all of whom had come within easy reach of his voice. While the wagons were assuming position, and the men preparing to spend the night where Chadwick’s party had camped the night before, Alden exchanged greetings with Mr. Fleming, his wife and the remainder of his friends. Then excusing himself for a few minutes, he ran to the station where the agent and his companion were curiously watching the movements of the emigrants. “What do you make of the words of the rider?” asked Alden in a trembling voice. The two looked at him and the elder replied with the question: “What _can_ you make of it except what he said?” “Do you think Brandley has been killed by the Indians?” “As sure as you’re standing there,” replied the taller; “the biggest tomfool thing I ever done was to let him start off with the mail. It means my finish.” Bill thought more of the trouble coming to him than he did of the fate that had overtaken poor Ross Brandley. “Can’t anything be done for him?” asked Alden swallowing the lump in his throat. “Not a thing; he isn’t the first one the Indians got and he won’t be the last by a jugful.” It was Cal who now spoke. “There ain’t any doubt that he was shot from the back of the pony, which dashed off and ran to the station with the mail. If we’d let you start out with the pouches, as you wanted to do, that’s what would have become of _you_.” But Alden was not thinking of that. He was distressed beyond words at the dreadful fate that had overtaken the youth with whom he quarreled and whom he was anxious to meet that the wrangle might be fought to a finish. “All day while I have been brooding and hating him he has been lying somewhere in the solitude looking up to the sky and seeing it not. God forgive me!” Angered by the indifference of the two men, Alden turned back and joined Shagbark, who had dismounted and removed the saddle and bridle of his horse. Jethro had done the same, and the three stood a little apart from the others. Alden had taken a minute or two to caress his pony, which whinnied with pleasure at meeting him, but the master was in too great anguish to pay the animal the attention he would have paid in any other circumstances. The three were grouped together, and Jethro and Shagbark looked into the handsome face that could not hide its grief.