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

They must be there Edgar replied,
decidedly even as experienced ranger
as he could not but Jelieve what he Wtsh
ed."
The advance continued--not swiftly,
but steadily; for they were now less than
two miles from the light, and the tall
trees of the grove could be distinguished
like shadows against the northern sky
The fire was evidently built within the
skirts of the wood, and was now burning
brightly, as if replenished with fuel since
they had discovered it. Occasionally, il
was hid from view, when they descended
a slope and entered a hollow ; and some
times shadows passed across it, as if per-
sons were moving about it.
They are certainly there thought
Edgar, 'and they must have built the fire
on Jane's account. Nothing else could
induce them to be so incautious.' Bitter
as was his hatred of the savage, this idea
rather softened him and, in the fight
which he expected, he resolved to spare
as many of them as possible.
He had now advanced within half
mile of the grove and-though the fire
itself was not visible-he could plainly
see the reflection on the branches of the
trees above. 1t grew brighter while he
gazed, and they could almost imagine
that they heard the cracking of dry
branches in the blaze. The captain drew
his rein and called halt.
There should be a little clump of trees
near here he said, gazing about in the
gloom.
1t lies here, to the right, said one of
the rangers-and, riding few rods in
that direction, they found small grove
of stunted oaks, where they again halted
and dismounted. Here they tied their
horses, and having examined their arms,
marched out upon the open prairie. Ed
gar briefly explained his plan of attack,
and the advance was resumed.
His men were deployed-or spread out
to the right and left, at intervals OF
twelve or fifteen PAGES the captain him
self remaining in the centre, and moving
directly upon the fire. By this means
he covered wide extent of ground, and
urhderof tsien'cenowiahia, ,sunnorting dis
move little faster than the centre, grad
ually converging, when within the grove,
but awaiting a signal from the captain
before opening the attack. Each, on
making any discovery, was to communi
cate it to the next, and thus pass it up the
line to the captain and his orders were
conveyed in the same way. His imme-
diate object was to discover the Indians
horses, and thus preclude the carrying OFF
of their prisoner by portion of the saw
ages, during his fight with the remain
der.
He could not have been more impatient
to reach the point-on which he was ad
vancing-had it been the rustic bower
where he might expect to meet his mis-
tress alone yet the movement was as
slow as the stealthy pace of the tiger,
while he is yet too distant to spring upon
his victim. And it had all the tigers
deadliness for even the keen senses of
Indian could not have detected his enc
my's approach-the first signal could be
but the crack of the rifle, the fierce on
set, and the cleaning knife.
Ii seemed an hour, after they left their
horses, before they entered the outskirts
of the grove, and many minutes We're
consumed in cautiously and silently push
ing their way through the tangled briars
and hazel bushes. Within this belt, the
ground was more open but it was coy-
cred with dry branches and withered
twigs, the breaking of any one of which
under the foot-would have been more
than sufficient to alarm the watchfulness
of the Indian. They could not yet see
the fire but it was scarcely an hundred
yards from them, and concealed only by
thicket, within which it was kindled.
The horses had not yet been discovered.
nor did the least sound break the pro-
found stiffness of the scene. The fire
seemed burning low and the shadows
began to creep down from the tree-tops,
whittier it had driven them. Now and
then, flash--as if the blaze had caught
dry twig-shot arrowy beams out thro'
the thicket, and then fell Pickering back
within the encroaching darkness. The
fire was evidently neglected.
They are all asleep thought Edgar.
The flanks had gradually eonyerged.
according to the plan down and they
! were so thrown forward rs to form a halt