It came from beyond the tepee, and he rose quickly from where he had thrown himself and ran forward, with the tepee between him and those on the other side.

Close to the canvas he dropped on his knees and crawled out behind a pile of saddles and panniers.
From here he could see.
So near that he could almost have touched them were Joanne and Marie, seated on the ground, with their backs toward him.

Their hands were tied behind them.

Their feet were bound with pannier ropes.

A dozen paces beyond them were Quade and Mortimer FitzHugh.
The two men were facing each other, a yard apart.