In the course of half an hour the gradual rising of the ground brought them upon the prairie. As the horse stepped upon the high and temporarily level ground, it was brought in full relief against the sky, the trapper standing somewhat below it, so that it and its rider were outlined against the faintly-lit sky, as if drawn in ink. What was Black Tom’s amazement, when he saw at this moment that the rider was a woman, with an Indian shawl thrown around her shoulders! As if she suspected that some one was near her, she partly turned her head, at the instant her animal stepped upon the prairie, so that the profile of her face was plainly seen. “Skulp me! ef she ain’t a white woman!” fairly gasped the trapper, who could scarcely credit his senses. “What is _she_ doin’ hyar?” There was something in this scene that prevented Black Tom from calling to her, as he would have done had the circumstances been different. He recalled that he was in the region where the supernatural beast had been seen, and a cold shudder went through him as he reflected that perhaps he was following a _spirit_ instead of a mortal. He hesitated a moment, but he had his share of curiosity, and it struck him that he might not again have so good an opportunity of learning something that very probably concerned the welfare of himself and his companions. So the next instant he had resumed his pursuit, moving with the silence of a phantom close behind the horse, that never halted, but walked with a proud step, as if conscious he carried a royal burden. Black Tom had no difficulty in keeping up with the two, but he was uncertain whether the lady knew she was followed or not. When on the open ground, there was sufficient light to gain quite a distinct view of her, although it was by no means a satisfactory one. The country was very much broken. As we have stated, it was cut up by hills, ravines, cañons, streams and open prairie--but there were paths leading through these in different directions, mostly made by animals, so that no one ever need encounter any difficulty in making his way from one point to another. The horse with the unknown lady continued forward, with that unhesitating gait which showed how certain he was of his way, and that his rider had no fear of his going astray. “Skulp me! but this is a qu’ar business I’ve gone in!” muttered the trapper, as he skulked along behind the animal; “but I’ll foller till I find out something.” The way became more broken, but the noble brute kept up his steady, unswerving gait the same as on the open prairie. As near as Black Tom could judge they had gone about five miles, and were ranging along the mountain-side, when he caught the glow of a light directly in front of the girl, and toward which she was manifestly traveling. “Now I shall soon know something,” he muttered, as he saw the beacon, and allowed the distance between them somewhat to increase.