"Why should I grudge to him the prize that can never be mine?" he asked himself. "And am I so utterly, so abominably selfish, that I cannot rejoice in her happiness, though it be with another? Faster, faster, good Romeo," he continued aloud, patting the neck of his noble steed; "let us bestir ourselves, my boy, for we are needed yonder, and jealousy and envy must be left behind." The intelligent creature seemed to understand, and urged by neither whip nor spur, flew over the ground with almost the speed of the wind. Far in the distance a farm-house loomed up into sight, and as they drew rapidly nearer Kenneth could descry a horseman galloping furiously toward it from the opposite direction. His first thought was that it might be another messenger from the house to which he was bound, some miles farther on, and where a patient lay very ill. But no; the man drew rein at the gate of the dwelling already in sight, and as Kenneth came dashing up, was in earnest colloquy with the farmer. They hailed him. "Hollo, doctor! stop a bit. Have you heard the news?" "No," he answered, coming to a sudden halt alongside of the other horseman, whom he now recognized as a farmer living some distance down the prairie. "Are you the bearer of evil tidings, Coe, an accident, some one hurt? I have hardly time to stop unless my services are needed." "Worse than that, doctor; he's beyond your help, poor fellow; but you'd best listen, for all that!" "Yes," put in the other man, with an oath, "it's the doin's o' those cussed red skins, an' if ye don't look out doc, they'll be takin' your scalp afore ye know it." "What! you don't mean that the Indians have begun hostilities again, Wolf?" "Yes, sir; I do!" he cried with a yet fiercer oath, and bringing his fist down heavily upon the palm of the other hand; "here's Coe brings news that Captain Herrod's found lyin' in the woods murdered and scalped; Captain Herrod, a man greatly loved by his neighbors, as ye must know, and of course it's their work; and the next thing they'll be burning down our houses about our ears, and butcherin' and scalpin' men, women and children, as they did afore Mad Anthony Wayne whipped 'em into good behavior. The dirty, sneakin', treacherous rascals!" he went on, "I hate 'em like pizen." "Is there any positive proof that Herrod met his death at their hands?" Kenneth asked, turning to Coe. "No; but it looks likely; and I'm out to warn the settlers in the valley that we'd best be moving close together and building block-houses for protection." "That we had," exclaimed Wolf, again cursing the savages as cruel and treacherous. "They have often proved so in past times," said Kenneth; "yet there have been some noble exceptions, and certainly we have not been guiltless in our treatment of them." "We've paid 'em back in their own coin," Wolf answered with a savage grin; "and we'll do it again; I'd as lief shoot a red skin as a dog any day."