A Princess of Mars

I followed rapidly until, darkness shutting down, I was forced to await

the rising of the moon, and given an opportunity to speculate on the

question of the wisdom of my chase. Possibly I had conjured up

impossible dangers, like some nervous old housewife, and when I should

catch up with Powell would get a good laugh for my pains. However, I

am not prone to sensitiveness, and the following of a sense of duty,

wherever it may lead, has always been a kind of fetich with me

throughout my life; which may account for the honors bestowed upon me

by three republics and the decorations and friendships of an old and

powerful emperor and several lesser kings, in whose service my sword

has been red many a time.

About nine o'clock the moon was sufficiently bright for me to proceed

on my way and I had no difficulty in following the trail at a fast

walk, and in some places at a brisk trot until, about midnight, I

reached the water hole where Powell had expected to camp. I came upon

the spot unexpectedly, finding it entirely deserted, with no signs of

having been recently occupied as a camp.

I was interested to note that the tracks of the pursuing horsemen, for

such I was now convinced they must be, continued after Powell with only

a brief stop at the hole for water; and always at the same rate of

speed as his.

I was positive now that the trailers were Apaches and that they wished

to capture Powell alive for the fiendish pleasure of the torture, so I

urged my horse onward at a most dangerous pace, hoping against hope

that I would catch up with the red rascals before they attacked him.

Further speculation was suddenly cut short by the faint report of two

shots far ahead of me. I knew that Powell would need me now if ever,

and I instantly urged my horse to his topmost speed up the narrow and

difficult mountain trail.

I had forged ahead for perhaps a mile or more without hearing further

sounds, when the trail suddenly debouched onto a small, open plateau

near the summit of the pass. I had passed through a narrow,

overhanging gorge just before entering suddenly upon this table land,

and the sight which met my eyes filled me with consternation and dismay.

The little stretch of level land was white with Indian tepees, and

there were probably half a thousand red warriors clustered around some

object near the center of the camp. Their attention was so wholly

riveted to this point of interest that they did not notice me, and I

easily could have turned back into the dark recesses of the gorge and

made my escape with perfect safety. The fact, however, that this

thought did not occur to me until the following day removes any

possible right to a claim to heroism to which the narration of this

episode might possibly otherwise entitle me.