The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-12-04


ing?"
"Now you talk 1t ain t ha'd mat.
ter 10 follow the trail of n horse over
the prairie, less he gets mixed up with
other animals
AT the first dawn of light the pur.
suit must be commenced. will liber.
ally remunerate those who resce uher."
THAT Cheyenne is well mounted"
replied one of the trappers.
"Cmph Don't think so-know So"
"Do you know their country ?"
"Reckor So"
"He has, no doubt, gone there, and
even If you lose his trail, we can rescue
her from their village"
"Their country happens 90 be all the
land between the Mississippi and the
Rocky Mountain5,' remarked the
young hunter, Chapmen n, now speaking
for the first time.
81 know the scamps hunt from one
end of the country 20 the other, but
then their villages are located some
where, and it is there you'll be apt TO
find this rCdskin."
"All true, captain" replied Chapman
"but the Cheyennes are like all their
people; they don't stick. You may
find their villages this year on the Kan-
sas and next year on the Yellows' one.
We found one of their towns five hun
dred miles from here last autumn, but
we don't know where 10 look for it to.
day."
"Then suppose you must depend
upon the .rail ?"
"Mainly so. / have no fear but what
we can tree the thief sooner than he has
any idea of"
"Are you well mounted ?"
One Of the traprers now spoke:
ave am if you've any creatures in
these parts that can overhaul us in q
dead chase, all / say is, trot 'em out
Chapman, ,howsumeve-, is leetle ahead
Of Us. He just got the :wifte.t animal
between sunup and sondown."
"Idoubt whether Miss Evington would
prefer any rescuer above him, "said the
captain, while the young hunter showed
very manifestly by his countenance
that he only awaited the oppoitusity
to test his devotion to her.
''f'ow many cavalry do you wish t
accompany you ?"
The trappers shook their heads.
"None; re will manage it ourselves.
"But you are but three, and ther(
may be fifty or a hundred of them"
1--WE don't expect TO do much fghlin
but il there is any to be done, we ar,
ready to do it. We expect TO carcum
vent, or surprise or do something o
| that Sort
'All right; you understand the dog
best, and you can take your choice. YOl
are welcome to twenty of my men |
you wish them"
1t was hardly gray in the east whcr
the three hunters mounted their horse
and descended the bed OF the creek. |
required but a few minutes for them
find the trail.
"Here's where his horse waited fo
him." said one of them, land here h
ha, mounted and cut"
The footprints of the horse ascendet
the bank, and took a direction straigh
across the prairie, showing that tn
Cheyenne had used the stream merel,
as cover for his approach to camp.
Looking over the plain, nothing me
their eye but the broad sweep of III
prairie, stretching far away until i
seemed to join with the horizon.
"There's long hunt before u.s." sal
the eldest trapper. "That redsSin ha
put a powerful lot Of miles behind bin
since he hoisted that girl on his horse.
"lle'll have TO halt and rest befor
he's Travelled very far"
"But he's fine creature to trav,
with"
"And she has to carry q burden.
| can't overhaul the fellow with thi
mare of mine, I'll knock her in tn
head"
This was said by the young huntt
Just as they struck Off on agallop aero,
the rairie.
The trail of the running horse, as ha
been already stated, was 200 alpable
the eye to need any scrutiny TO follov
The three followed it at swoopin
gallop, that left no doubt of the fa
that wherever the dusky redskin al
ducior might be, his pursuers were ral
Idly lessening the distance between hi
and them.
a mile or iwo'5 progress, and one
The trappers made the encouraging G
clamation
"Umph! Goodn
"What is it ?" inquired The hunter
He's travelled purity fast until
: got out here, when he's knowd the
Was no danger Of his being seen afo
daylight, and he's slackened up
"The old dog loves the gal that's 81,
tin," added the old ,rspper; land no
+ been as tender with her 81 il she was
2 little baby"
g "When he finds she Will never 60
g sent TO remain wilh him, there is
4 tell ng how he will treat her.
=. "Brlng her back again, like enough
| Never ~ exclaimed the old trapp,
emphatically. "Them kind of India
you read Of in books, but you dom, fl
!, them nowadays. l used 20 hear
such nice, sweet redskins when wa
= boy up in Rhode Island, and I'd like
y hunt 'em; but I've never found ;,
V yet. P'r'aps, Chapman, you have"
y "No sir" laughed the latter.
"P'r'aps again, this Cheyenne is {
Of them. Howsumever stand rea
to believe it when l see it, and
afore."
% There was good sense in the old h
9 tef's remarks, especially when he S
~ that as class the Indians were
=" most treacherous people in the wol