"Come with me."
At a brisk trot they rode out, the trooper lagging a pace to the rear,
the watchful eyes of both men sweeping suspiciously across the prairie.
The two parties met suddenly upon the summit of a sharp ridge, and
Brant drew in his horse with an exclamation of astonishment. It was a
pathetic spectacle he stared at,--a horse scarcely able to stagger
forward, his flanks quivering from exhaustion, his head hanging limply
down; on his back, with feet strapped securely beneath and hands bound
to the high pommel, the lips grinning ferociously, perched a misshapen
creature clothed as a man. Beside these, hatless, his shoes barely
holding together, a man of slender figure and sunburnt face held the
bridle-rein. An instant they gazed at each other, the young officer's
eyes filled with sympathetic horror, the other staring apathetically at
his rescuer.
"My God! Can this be you, Hampton?" and the startled lieutenant flung
himself from his horse. "What does it mean? Why are you here?"
Hampton, leaning against the trembling horse to keep erect, slowly
lifted his hand in a semblance of military salute.
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