This must mean that a desperate party of raiders had succeeded in slipping past those scattered army details scouting into the Northwest.

Whether or not these warriors were in any considerable force he could not determine--the reports of their depredations were but rumors at Union when he left--yet, whether in large body or small, they would have a clear run in the Arkansas Valley before any troops could be gathered together to drive them out.
Perhaps even now, the stages had been withdrawn, communication with Santa Fe abandoned.

This had been spoken of as possible at Union the night he left, for it was well known there that there was no cavalry force left at Dodge which could be utilized as guards.

The wide map of the surrounding region spread out before him in memory; he felt its brooding desolation, its awful loneliness.

Nevertheless he must go on--perhaps at the stage station near the ford of the Arkansas he could learn the truth.