The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-04-08


thing was disposed to guard against sud-
den attack, and after partaking of hearty
; meal Of the humble fare which they had
taken with them, they sought their leafy
couch-the evening breeze gently waving
the tree tops and producing a lulling MUIR
muir among the leaves, occasionally sway
ing the branches aside and letting in the
rays of the rising moon on the silent and
apparently deserted spot.
CHAPTER ".
The sun was glistcnng on the tops OF
the talest trees ere the young man awoke
from the deep slumber, into which he had
onl y fallen at late hour. The mission
he was on-tho anxiety he felt in the fate
Of one so dear TO his heart, had kept him
restless and uneasy. lie hardly thought
of his own situation-oi the dangers that
surrounded him, although the occasional
cry of some wild animal, or the sudden
cracking of the dry limbs around him,
would for moment recall him to a sense
of his own peril. 1t was some time past
ere his perturbed mind was sufficiently
composed to induce sleep. Even when,
from sheer WEAKNESS, his senses were
locked in slumber, his teeming brain was
busy with images connected with the mai
den's captivity, plainly manifested by his
murmured EXPLANATIONS, frequent shifting
of position and sudden starts. When he
awoke he sprang upon his feet and turned
to arouse his companion, but he found he
had got the start of him. Another glance
discovered TO him the Scout seated on the
messy roots of tall oak, with the pro.
visions for the morning meal i'll waiting
before HIM.
"Young limbs require more rest than
aged ones,' said the old man with smile
after saluting his companion. "Wh ll'
you have been dreaming there, | have
been taking look about us. One can
not pass through the woods as he woult
upon the beaten highway. told you
last night" he continued, as he applied
himself to the coarse viands before him
"that we wanted daylight to read the
signs hereabouts, and the event has prov.
ed that | was right. If we had followed
on the route proposed by you last night,
James, we should have had a pesky tramp
of it and that is all for our pains. Gun
ming varmnts are them red skins, but
they are not foxy enough to cheat the old
Scout YETI
"Surely, sir, that is their trail branch
ing off to the right over the hillock yon-
dcr!" asked the young man in a tone Of
surprise.
"Sartin true, there's no mistake about
that, boy. One with half an eye could
follow path marked as that. But see
here, Just 90 beyond that clump of BUSH
es, there by that cedar to the left, and
bring what you iind.'
The young man did as he was bid, and
after a brief search he returned, with a
strip of calico, mere shred, which he
found attached to thorn bush.
"ThGre," continued the Scout, "the
threads you hold came from the poor girls
dress, either left by design or accident
If the former, it proves that she Is not
frightened ont of her wits at any rate; II
the latter, hold it as a sign that Provl-
dencc is with us and will guide US Alright,
if we will only do our part by using a
proper discretion. calkerlatc now, that
the savagcs began to suspect that they
might be followed, and a part OF them
were sent off this way, leaving broad
trail forfools to follow if they wlII-but
not one well larned in their diylltrles as
the old hunter" added the Scout with a
low chuckle. "By observing the place, "
he continued, "where you found that
piece of cloth, you will find, if you look
sharp, Mabel's foot-prlnts-on one spot
in partckIer, where she ground ner heel
into the turf the brave girl! as if on pur-
pose. Shoulder your pack, my good fell
low, and let us be off, | reckon as how
, we shall be close on their heels by night
| fall"
, 1t took but short time TO get ready
, and they Immediately started oil on the
new trail, the Scout leading the way with
0 such rapid pace that his companion
n who was no inexperienced walker, lounC
It it difficult to keep up with him. The
c trail on which they now struck was tina
of three persons only, as near as they
e could make out, the great body OF the par
Q ty having probably gone of in ano'he
u direction to draw of the pursuit, shoul'
,, one be made, or perhaps on some othe
e predatory exhibition. Ere long the Scou
Is found it necessary to, slacken his speed
IL and to examine more carefully to ascer
1T tain the route they were pursuing. a
i'd times the trail would be lost altogether
We but the quick eye of the old man. who
ID seemed to take in every object, howeVe
-, , ,,Ionrn would soon UlSCONl