Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-03-18

to them the cause of her terror, and i'm
plored to set off Immediately in search of
her husband. 1t was in vain they told
her of the uselessness of going at that
time-of the impossibility of following
a trail in the dark. She said she would
go herself; she felt sure of finding him ;
and at last they were obliged to use force
to prevent her leaving the house.
The next morning at daybreak, Will
ton and his two sons were mounted, and
ready to set out, intending to take Nero
with them; but nothing could induce him
to leave his mistress .he resisted pas.
sively for some time, until one Of the
young men attempted to pass rope
round his neck, to drag him away: then
his forbearance vanished; he sprung on
his tormentor, threw him down, and
would have strangled linn if Susan had
not been present. Finding it impossible
to make Nero accompany them, they
left without him, but had not proceeded
many miles before he and his mistress
were at their side. They begged Susan
to return, told her of the hardships she
must endure, and of the Inconvenience
she would be to them 1t was of no
avail she had but one answer F." am n
hunters daughter, and hunters wife,"
She told them that knowing how useful
Nero would be to them in their search,
she had secretly taken q horse and fol.
lowed them.
The party rode first to Tom Coopcrs
hut, and there having dismounted, lead.
ing their horses through the forest, fol-.
lowed the trail, as only men long accus
toned to savage life can do. At night
they lay on the ground. covered with
thick bear.skins; for Susan only they
heapcd up bed of dried leaves; but she
refused TO occupy it, sayin" it was her
duty to bear the same hardships they did,
Eter since their departure she had shown
no signs OF sorrow. Although slight and
d.licately formed, she never appeared
ia i ued her whole soul was absorbed
i'll one longing desire-to find her hus-
bands body; for from the first she had
abandoned the hope Of ever again seeing
him in life. This desire supported her
through e:ery thing. Early the next
morning they were again OH the trail.
-1Dout NOON, Ns-vsrry were crusstrgr 4
small brook, the hound suddenly dashed
away from them, and was lost in the
thickct. AT first they iancicd they might
have crossed tho track of deer or wolf;
but long mournlul howl soon told the
sad truth, for not far from the brook lay
the faithful dog on the dead body of his
master, which was pierced to the heart by
an Indian arrow.
The murderer had apparently been
afraid to approach OF account Of the
dogs, for the body WAS left as it had fall
len-not even the rifle was gone. No
sign of Indians could be discovered save
one small footprint, which was instantly
pronounced to he that of squaw. Su-
san showed no grief at the sight of the
body: she maintained the same forced
calmness, and seemed comiorted that it
was found. Old Wilton staid with her
to remove all that now remained Of her
darling husband, and his two sons again
set out on the trail, which soon led them
into the open prairie, where it was easily
traced through the tall thick grass. They
continued riding all that afternoon, and
the next morning by daybrcak were
again on the track, which they followed
to the banks Of Il wide but shallow
stream. There they saw the remains Of
fire. One Of the brothers thrust his
hand among the ashes, which were still
warm. They crossed the river, and in
the soft sand on the opposite bank saw
again the print Of small moccasincd
footsteps. Here they were at loss; for
the rank prairie grass had been consum-
cd by one of those fearful fires so COM
mon in the prairics, and in its stead grew
short sweet hcrbagc, where even an In.
dian's eye could observe no trace. They
were on the point of abandoning the
pursuit, when Richard, the younger of
the two, called his brothers attention to
Nero, who had of his own accord left
his mistress 10 accompany them, as if he
now understood what they were about.
The hound was trotting 10 and fro, with
his nose to the ground, as if endeavoring
to pick out cold scent. Edward laugh.
cd at his brother, and pointed to the
track of deer that had come to drink
at the river. At last he agreed to follow
Nero, who was now cantcring slowly
across the prairie. The pace gradually
increased, until, OIL a spot where the
grass had grown more luxuriantly than
elsewhere, Nero threw up his nose, gave
Il deep bay, and started off at so furious
a pace, that although we'll mounted,
they had great difficulty in keeping up
with him. He soon brought them to the
borders of another forest, where, finding
it impossible to take their horses further,
they tethered them to tree, and set off
again on foot. They lost sight of the
hound, but still from time to time heard
his loud baying far away. At last they
fancied it sounded nearer instead Of be.
coming less distinct; and of this they
were soon convinced. They still went
on in the direction whence the sound
proceeded. until thew saw Nero sitting