“What in thunder is up now?” shouted Waltermyer, snatching his rifle and springing to his feet. “The Mormon!” replied Osse ’o. “Black Eagle!” whispered the Indian woman; and seizing Esther by the hand she almost dragged her into the concealment of the bushes. “Twin devils!” exclaimed Waltermyer, loosening his pistols in his belt ready for instant service, and whistling to his horse he drove him back toward the perpendicular rocks. No further words issued from the already compressed lips of the Indian; but after he had, also, placed his horse by the side of black Star, he took his position near Waltermyer and awaited the issue that was forced upon them. There was silence long enough for the heart to throb scarce a score of times, and then, at the same instant, Black Eagle rode upon the plateau from one side, and the Mormon entered on foot from the other. CHAPTER XVII. A DUEL IN THE WILDERNESS—A STARTLING REVELATION. Thus the savage and the Elder met, man to man, on equal terms, the Indian only having an advantage in the possession of his horse. Waltermyer and Osse ’o had succeeded in securing their horses, and retreating behind an abutment of the rocks, waited for the stormy interview which was sure to follow the contact of these fiery spirits. Black Eagle rode close to the Elder with a reckless dash, that threatened to trample him under the hoofs of the half-wild steed. “Where is the young pale-face?” he questioned, stooping his plumed head, and hissing forth the words in a half-whisper. “That is the very question I wish to ask you,” replied the Elder. “When your white-faced warriors crept like serpents among our braves and fired on them, she escaped,” answered the chief, sullenly. “Well, that is, so far, your loss—no, not yours, for I have paid you well, and you know where the girl is. Take me to her hiding-place, or give back my gold.” “Does the pale-face think the Black Eagle a fool?” answered the chief, with a cold sneer. “I know that I was one, to trust an Indian with money,” was the reply. “There was no trust. You gave the Dacotah gold, and he carried off the daughter of the pale-face from her father’s tent. He brought her, under a guard of warriors, to the mountain. Black Eagle had snared the bird; why did you not take her while she was fluttering in the net?” “A pretty question, on my soul! Take her, when your men fought like so many devils.” “Will the pale-face pay the Dacotah his gold?” “What gold, you cormorant?” “Did not he promise him plenty of yellow-dirt, when the white squaw should be given up?” “Yes; but you lied. You concealed her.”