"Pray God we may not be too late," said the general as he spurred his panting steed--"and Spotted Lightning, too, of all the chiefs! He has always seemed to be our friend." "On, on," cried Lieutenant Baldwin, "there may yet be time." Mile after mile the pursuers covered, pausing not for food or water, until nearly sunset. Bowie Knife Bill pointed to a thin column of smoke in the distance and said: "Thar's the varmints' camp." The hearts of all the men bounded with excitement as they neared the spot. "Are we in time?" was the silent question in the mind of each. They dashed into an open space of prairie and drew rein near Spotted Lightning's tent. The flap was closed. The troopers swung themselves from their horses. "If it is as I fear," muttered the general hoarsely to the lieutenant, "it means war with the Kioma nation. Oh, why did he not take some other instead of my daughter?" At that instance the door of the tent opened and Inez Splasher, the general's daughter, a maiden of about thirty-seven summers, emerged, bearing in her hand the gory scalp of Spotted Lightning. "Too late!" cried the general as he fell senseless from his horse. "I knew it," said Bowie Knife Bill, folding his arms with a silent smile, "but what surprises me is how he ever got this far alive." Nothing to Say "You can tell your paper," the great man said, "I refused an interview. I have nothing to say on the question, sir, Nothing to say to you." And then he talked till the sun went down And the chickens went to roost: And he seized the coat of the poor _Post_ man And never his hold he loosed. And the sun went down and the moon came up, And he talked till the dawn of day; Though he said, "On this subject mentioned by you, I have nothing whatever to say." And down the reporter dropped to sleep, And flat on the floor he lay; And the last he heard was the great man's words: "I have nothing at all to say." "Goin Home Fur Christmas" Pa fussed at ma, and said By gun! There wa'n't no use a talkin'; Times wuz too hard to travel round, In any way 'cept walkin', And said 'twas nonsense anyhow, Folks didn't want no visitors; And said ma needn't talk no more, 'Bout goin' home for Christmas. "I'd like to see 'em all," says ma, All pale and almost cryin'; A gazin' out the window, where The snow wuz fairly flyin'; "I've been a thinkin', oh so long, 'Bout mother and my sisters; And savin' every cent I could To'ards goin' home for Christmas." But pa he frowned and then ma sighed. Just once, and kinder' smilin', Says: "Well, les' go an' have some tea, The water's all a-bilin'."