The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-10-23
CHAPTER III.
THE CHASE ENDED.

CHAPTER III.
THE CHASE ENDED.
No more than the first gray streaks
of dawn had shot up from the eastern
horizon, when the disappointed rau-
gers were astir Their horses, which
had been picketcd upon the prairie,
each with long rope, after the rang
er fashion Of feeding, were first taken
to little stream to drink, and then
moved to II fresh place, to craze until
their riders were prepared to mount.
Such provision rs they had made
against their own hunger, was then
dispatched without delay, and with
little preparation. Fortunately, how
ever, the wedding feast had furnished
Niands enough for more than ten
times their number; and with the
readiness of the women of those days,
each had been provided by wife, Sis
ter or sweetheart, with supplies, am
pic and we'll selected.
1t was now plain that the chase be-
fore them ,.as long one; and it was
no cqnivocal augury Of their rcsolu.
ton to follow it to the end, that they
thus set out with systematic prudence.
By the time they had finished q
hGsty breakfast, and each taken a
deep draught from the stream where
they had watcred their horses, the
gray Of dawn had deepcned into red,
and the dew drops upon the bending
grass were sparkling like diamonds
in the opening light. The birds with
in the grove were iluttering, full of
matin songs, from branch to branch,
or floating o!I--in long and graceful
ilights-lar over the ycrdaut plain
The grouse came ont upon the knolls.
where the heritage was short and
green, and struttiug pompou-ly y from
side to side, cltnSily plumed them
selves in tn, morning beams on the
ridges, farther of, the deer stalkcd
out from shcltering hollows, and
stamping dainty upon the ground, or
tossing proudly up their antlered
heads, snuiied vainly at the rising
wind, \ low, faint sigh, as of Il pass.
ing spirit, hoatcd--scareely audible
along the jcweled grass, and shook
the jewels gently from the blades. -
The stars went slowly ont, or blended
in the Frightening hue Of heaven;-
the shadows--that still fingered round
the groyes-wcre fading rapidly, or
deepening into shade; the red in the
east grew yellow, and an are Of white
announced the suns approach. The
day had taken full possession of the
earth and sky.
There is light enough nov, boys
said Edgar, rising to his feet, 'to be,
gin the search for the trail. Let u,
saddle up and be OF"
Time was never wasted by these
men; within five minutes all were in
the saddle, and extended aloWg the
northern skies Of the grove, in search
Of indications, left by the enemy. \
signal WAS given by one Mt the ex.
treme Nortll--thc Grail was found
and the whole company at once gal
loped to the place, Edgar sprang t.
tie ground, and examined the track
just as suspected boys" said he
reinounling. There has been bl
one red skin here, and he has beei
sent this way to attract us from tn,
pursuit
Indian like said White thel
have used our own vigilance to cir
cumycnt us. But wen never give /
up SO, Captain. F"
"Neycr,' was Elgal's decided nm
swer. "But we have lost tie trail
and must recover it. We must sepa
rate into small parties and con.inu
tue chase. We are pref " nearly du
east from the Portage, for With,
think they are making--at all events
they win not 90 sonth oft. We wi
meot--in the Gycniug--there; or,
the trail should turn northward, W
may come together sooner. Let Il
, one lingcr on the way--we have lo-
too much tirhe already"
The company was soon divided IL
, to squads Of two and three; Edga
took with him-INhite and Georg
., Fielding;, and repeating the iniunctio
) not TO linger, rode away to the nortl
! west. The three other divisions Sc
! ont at the same time, upon divcrgin
lines, but all maintaining the sam
$ general direction. :.
/, For an hour those in the cent?
/ kept all the rest in view, but at II
= end Of that time the undnlations {
n Che prairie, and the rapidty wit
y which they travelled, had completed
+ separated them. Edgar, and the tw
II compapions whom he had chosen {
II well for the excellence Of their horse
!. as for their well known conrage an
d coolness--were upon the extren
e right, or northern--a post which Il
n young Captain had selected, both {
k account OF its danger md for the a.
o vantage it gave him, should the /
Il dians turn TO the north. It is wi