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Chapter 68

           Thered-skinnedfilibusters,overtakenbyadetachmentofMountedRifles,amongthehillsoftheSanSaba,werecompelledtoabandontheirfour-footedbooty,andonlysavedtheirownskinsbyaforcedretreatintothefastnessesofthe"LlanoEstacado."

           Tofollowthembeyondthebordersofthissteriletractwouldhaverequiredacommissariatlesshastilyestablishedthanthatwithwhichthetroopshadsalliedforth;and,althoughtherelativesofthescalpedsettlersclamouredloudlyforretaliation,itcouldonlybepromisedthemafterduetimeandpreparation.

           OndiscoveringthattheComancheshadretreatedbeyondtheirneutralground,thesoldiersofUncleSamhadnochoicebuttoreturntotheirordinaryduties—eachdetachmenttoitsownfort—toawaitfurthercommandsfromthehead-quartersofthe"department."

           ThetroopsbelongingtoPortInge—entrustedwiththeguardianshipofthecountryasfarastheRioNueces—weresurprisedongettingbacktotheircantonmenttodiscoverthattheyhadbeenridinginthewrongdirectionforanencounterwiththeIndians!Someofthemwerehalfmadwithdisappointment:fortherewereseveral—youngHancockamongthenumber—whohadnotyetruntheirswordsthroughared-skin,thoughkeenlydesirousofdoingso!

           Nodoubtthereisinhumanityintheidea.Butitmustberemembered,thattheseruthlesssavageshavegiventothewhitemanpeculiarprovocation,byathousandrepetitionsofthreediabolicalcrimes—rape,rapine,andmurder.

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