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Chapter 44

           Thattheirintentionsarehostile,istobeinferredfromthefactoftheirwearingthewarcostume.Itisalsoapparentfromtheirmannerofmakingapproach.Stillfurther,bytheirdismountingatsomedistancefromthehut,securingtheirhorsesintheunderwood,andcontinuingtheiradvanceonfoot.

           Theirstealthytread—takingcaretoplantthefootlightlyuponthefallenleaves—theprecautiontokeepinsidetheshadow—thefrequentpauses,spentinlookingaheadandlistening—thesilentgestureswithwhichthesemovementsaredirectedbyhimwhoappearstobetheleader—allproclaimdesign,toreachthejacaléunperceivedbywhoevermaychancetobeinsideit.

           Inthistheyaresuccessful—sofarasmaybejudgedbyappearances.Theystandbythestockadewalls,withoutanysignbeinggiventoshowthattheyhavebeenseen.

           Thesilenceinsideiscomplete,asthattheyarethemselvesobserving.Thereisnothingheard—notsomuchasthescreechofahearth-cricket.

           Andyetthehutisinhabited.Butamanmaygetdrunkbeyondthepowerofspeech,snoring,orevenaudiblybreathing;andinthisconditionisthetenantofthejacalé.

           ThefourComanchesstealuptothedoor;andinskulkingattitudesscrutiniseit.

           Itisshut;buttherearechinksatthesides.Tothesethesavagessettheirears—allatthesametime—andstandsilentlylistening.

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