The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-10-16

enough from the grove, whore tho
capture was made, to lie satisfied that
hc would stril1e.it again in half ! an
hours riding in the direction lie had
taken, and by following il while day
light remained, lie had no doubt Of
being able to determine tile point to
which IL tended. lie would thus be
able To continue the chase with some
certainty after nightlnll, while bis on
emics were probably asleep. This.
of course. included tie hazard of
missing the trail during the hours of
darkness; hut Edgars knowledge of
the country was sopcrfcct that he Ind
little fear Of td misfortune, and the
fact that they could not he more than
three hours behind. was Il strong in.
ccnti,c to take the risk,
/ Having hatted Tor moment Go cx
plain his plan Of pursuit, which his
men ut once approved, he turned
again to the Northwest and swept
away ut rapid gallop. The farms
were soon left out of sight, and the
view was houndcd by the wavy hori
zon; bet the sun was an all-sunicicnt
guide. and without swerviug for y
moment to the right or left the party
maintained its direction for nearly an
hour. Edgar began then TO sIacken
his pace aud To observe the ground
more closely. halting from time 10 time
and waiting the falling evening breeze
to sweep along the prairie; and anon
galloping away again Tor II few mo
ments. still in the same direction.
lie was evidently growing anxious,
for his halts became more frequent.
and bis speed, when in motion, great
cr. He vcrged little towards the
west until the woods in that quarter
became partially visible in the haze
abeut the setting sun. lie halted
once more. and gazcd down the tran
qul prairie for . long timo. \ light.
'recze 3wcpl up from the lower lands, ;,
and bending the rank grass, ut last
revealed the object of his search. a
line of broken blades, their under
sides glistcning in the waning sun
light Was defined 10y the bending wave
extending as Ear rs the eye could
reach @,;,h., ,towar,l the north. ii was the
lie spraug from his horse and care
, rnlly examined the grcund, while his
followers. careful mol 10 dein"c thc.
trail. halted nj II distance and. with
out dismountiug. awaited tbs result
of his scrutiny. 1t was rapid but mi
mute. lie tGrpcd aside the long grass
and inspected the foot prints OF the
horses IN the soil There were, OF
course, no shod animals in their pos
session. vet the hoofs of these tracks
were mnch more distinct 1T the point
than nt rLc heel.
"Thcv were going mt full speed
mnttcrel Eluar: sand" he continued,
poziuo alono the trail toward the
north. where it stretched away per
fcetly straight. through sloughs and
over mounds, rs far rs the eye could
reach, -,thcy are evidently driving for
some definite pciat. What can it
be-"
1T must be Cotton Grovc," said
one of the rangers, the most expert
enced among them who had approach
ed during the examination They
wonld scarcely halt nearer than that,
and in the line OF this trail there is
no other landmark
but that is nearly thirty miles
from this spot said Edgar. They'll
net Ice able to reach there to night,
besides. il takes them Ten miles ont
Of their way
You think they are making fsr
the Portage? ! said White.
"Yos; they viii cross the river as
soon as possible, no doubt; and they
cannot have canoes on both that and
the illinois However, he added
springing again IL The saddle, "wt
must follow the trail ms long as ".
have light, and by hiShilaii We sua4'
be better aOlc 10 determine
lie TOOK Inc leau again hs NC spoAe
and set oil in the same swinging gasl
op 10 the northwnrd along the trail
so' ""' t,', .r'e ''.' ""s G"e NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. -.
uS'rF' va nu,- nal tI,nomnhn',t t,o Ion,