Making a sudden dash, and before any one could realize her intention,
Brenda leaped past the shovellers, sprang over the embankment they
were throwing up, and by the aid of a bench sprang up the four-foot
wall, through the flame-bordered aperture, and disappeared, her
clothing apparently in a blaze. The war-whoops immediately ceased.
No attempt at pursuit or rescue was made. The Arnolds and the
strangers felt that it would be useless, and only result in the death
of the pursuers. The work of closing the passage was resumed and
completed, and all sat down to await the slow flight of time and the
possible arrival of the soldiers.
After listening to the story of the Arnolds I concluded that Brenda
had fallen a victim to the cruelty of the Apaches, and that we should
find her mutilated and disfigured body. A rapid and excited search was
at once began. Far and wide, over plain, through ravines, and into the
foot-hills rode the soldiers, leaving no part of the country for
several miles around unsearched; but not a trace of the missing girl
was discovered.
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