The poor girl was in a dreadful state of anxiety regarding her father's safety.

At first she was hardly able to speak, or even to think, coherently.

Her utterance was choked, and her reasoning palsied with indignation.

But presently the fighting blood of her race restored her faculties, and then her woman's quick wit was worth the reasoning of a camp full of men.

Seeing that she was all on fire with the subject, I sat still and waited, taking care not to interrupt her.