There were a score or more of them.
"Can you ride?" asked one of them of Stella.
"Yes," she replied, "if you don't go too fast. I'm sick and weak."
"We'll do the best we can," said the man shortly.
Then he called back to his followers:
"Jake, bring up that spare hoss."
In a moment, and with a staggering weakness, Stella climbed into the
saddle. With a man on each side of her, she took up the march again.
Through dark defiles in the black mountains the cavalcade made its way,
Stella clinging to the saddle, and often in danger of falling off.
Presently they came into a glade, or park, which was surrounded by
towering mountain walls. For half an hour they traversed this, then came
to the end, and before them yawned an opening in the wall less than ten
feet wide.
They entered this, and after traversing it a short distance Stella found
herself in a circular chamber in the mountains with the starry sky for a
roof. Several fires were burning in the chamber, around which Indians
and white men were sprawling, playing cards, talking, or silently
smoking.
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