Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-01-03

clouds in the north disappeared in the
gloom, the breeze fell suddenly to dead
calm, the lingering rays in the west went
out, and the curtain of nj ght was dropped
to the earth. The pursuers were in thu
middle of wide prairie, more than thir.
ty miles from the settlements, upon {
trail which was no longer visible !
Edgar halted, and the whole party dis
mounted.
Here is water, boys, said the captain
leading his horse to small stream which
trickled through the grass we had bet
ter let our horses drink and Craze for al
hour, else they will be too much blown
for tomorrow march. ] think we had
then better strike for Colton's Grove, di.
rect it cannot be more than twenty
miles, and we can reach it before mid
night. l hope to find the Redskins
there
1t did not seem to prove Edgar's ar
dor in the pursuit, that he thus ordered
a halt in the very opening of the chase
but there was not man in the company
who did not know that this was the wis
est course. The hearts of the brothers
grew heavy, however, for, notwithstand-
ing Edgar's hope of finding the Indians
at the grove, it could not escape them,
that he expected long pursuit.
In truth, he was too well acquainted
with the Indian character, to have full
faith in his own expectations. IT, he
reasoned, they had designed to spend
the night at Colton's Grove, they would
have been at some pains to battle us on
our trail-they would have gone into the
timber, or, at least, swerved from the di-
rect course. But, here, they have trav
elled for thirty miles, straight as the bird
flies, for the point where we must natu-
rally expect to find them. They must be
deceiying us =
The thought was by no means plea
SAINT one for, calm as he appeared, his
impatience almost amounted to agony
And, when he briefly stated the argument
to White, the ranger before mentioned,
in whose Judgment he had much conf
dence, the weight which it seemed to have
with him, only deepened his misgiving.
ranger We must go on to the grove
for-at least-we shall be nearer to the
Portage there than here
And this was the course resolved up
on.
The hour of rest passed slowly away :
and, at its end, the captain gave the word
to mount and follow. There was now no
trail to guide them, but their course was
due north, and-led by the stars-Edgar
once more put himself in the advance,
and galloped away. The prairie was as
silent as night and a profound calm could
make it; and rolling away down the low,
lands, and reverberating along the ridges
the sound of their horses footsteps seem.
ed like the rumble of an earthquake. The
voices of those who spoke sounded hol-
low and echoless; and the jingling OF
spurs, and rafting of accoutrements,
seemed smothered by the stiffness. The
men of that time We're taciturn and earn
est; and the scene through which they
were riding was no bad type of their stern
characteristics. They were in pursuit OF
Indian marauders and hatred of the
savage-which was natural to every West
ern man--gaye depth even to their bear
ing. Each carried his rifle in his right
hand !; and, while he governed and assis-
ted his horse over the inequalities of the
ground with the left, steadily directed his
face to the front.
They had been riding thus, little
more than two hours, when Edgar sud
denly drew up to a walk.
I'VE must take it more slowly now,
boys said he, turning in the saddle, as
!
his men followed his example /; for, at q
gallop, our horses could be heard five
miles
Captain, said White, riding forward
isn't that light yonder, to the north
here, just above the ground?' p
1T is, indeed ? exclaimed Edgar il
the grove, too J
Rather too far to the right, isn't it :?
said the ranger.
we have been following the Pointers
and their wheeling to the West must hay,
taken us little out of our course Ed
gar replied. 1t must be in the grove
He turned little to the right as h,
spoke and, urging his horse to hi
swiftest walk, struck directly for th,
light.