himself near Mr. Peyton.
"I think," said Clarence timidly, "I saw an Injin to-day."
Mr. Peyton bent down towards him. "An Injin--where?" he asked quickly,
with the same look of doubting interrogatory with which he had received
Clarence's name and parentage.
The boy for a moment regretted having spoken. But with his old
doggedness he particularized his statement. Fortunately, being gifted
with a keen perception, he was able to describe the stranger accurately,
and to impart with his description that contempt for its subject
which he had felt, and which to his frontier auditor established its
truthfulness. Peyton turned abruptly away, but presently returned with
Harry and another man.
"You are sure of this?" said Peyton, half-encouragingly.
"Yes, sir."
"As sure as you are that your father is Colonel Brant and is dead?" said
Harry, with a light laugh.
Tears sprang into the boy's lowering eyes. "I don't lie," he said
doggedly.
"I believe you, Clarence," said Peyton quietly. "But why didn't you say
it before?"
"I didn't like to say it before Susy and--her!" stammered the boy.
"Her?"
"Yes, sir--Mrs. Peyton," said Clarence blushingly.
"Oh," said Harry sarcastically, "how blessed polite we are!"
"That'll do. Let up on him, will you?" said Peyton, roughly, to his
subordinate. "The boy knows what he's about. But," he continued,
addressing Clarence, "how was it the Injin didn't see you?"
"I was very still on account of not waking Susy," said Clarence, "and--"
He hesitated.
"And what?"
"He seemed more keen watching what YOU were doing," said the boy boldly.
"That's so," broke in the second man, who happened to be experienced,
"and as he was to wind'ard o' the boy he was off HIS scent and bearings.
He was one of their rear scouts; the rest o' them's ahead crossing our
track to cut us off. Ye didn't see anything else?"
"I saw a coyote first," said Clarence, greatly encouraged.
"Hold on!" said the expert, as Harry turned away with a sneer. "That's
a sign, too. Wolf don't go where wolf hez been, and coyote don't foller
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