A FIELD OF MASSACRE To my mind, seated on that island in the morass, a map spread before me, a hundred miles of travel had not appeared a very serious matter, but I was destined to learn my mistake.

The close proximity of the men seeking to overtake us--as evidenced by that rifle shot--awoke within us a sense of imminent danger and drove us forward through the fast gathering darkness at a perilous pace, especially as our mounts were not of the best.

The fringe of trees along the bank of the stream was sufficiently thick to securely screen our movements until we had safely merged into the darkness beyond, nor could our trail be followed before daylight.

Yet the desire was in all of our hearts to cover as much ground as possible.

The available course lay across rough country, along steep sidehills, and into stagnant sloughs.