Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-03-27
CHAPTER m.

A cuRIols AND sTARrltNu MYSTERY .
: SkirtiHg che Black Hills, forty miles west of
Fort Laramie, party Of horsemen were riding
eastward, ' -f in i u. ffn
They had len Fort Bridgcr eight days be.
fore, taking the route of the North Platte, and
were now following the Oregon cmigrant road
among those long ridges, dry beds of rivers
and sterile plains, by which The region of the
Black HIN Is distinguished wv
The blfik of The party consis tel of ten caval
rymcn, under lieutenant, WHO were returning
10 Fort Laramie, their post of duty. They
were well mounted, and had several led hurs,,s
In their train, loaded with their provisions and
nppurtcnanccs of travel.
The balance Of the party consisted Of three
civilians, who had seized the opportunity OF
crossing the mountains under military escort.
Two Of these were cmigrants who hnd settled
flcar Fort Bridgcr, but who had tired of the
great solitude, or been frightened by the In.
dians, and were now returning eastward in
search of homes nearer the haiints Of ciSiliza-
lion. y" I' ' l' "'
The third civilian was Hubert Earle, the low
or OF Miriam Dane, the settlers dnughier, whom
We have just left in such deadly peril.
He was splendid specimen Of American
manhood, nagnihcentiy formed, broad shout.
dcred, deep -chcsted, Is vigorous us mn athlete
and rode his horse, i fiery Mexican stecd, with
the grace aDd ease Of q Centaur.
At the moment of his introduction 10 tho
rca,ler, hc WIS riding In tllc rear Of the little
Srain, busy with his own reflections, which
were evidently as bright as The morning itself
The forenoon preceding the events VIC have
recorded '- ' '"
fiis thoughts were wrnpt In the sweet mem.
ory Of Miriam, who had wepi so bitterly ut his
departure, and who, he expected, would smile
so Joyously al his return. .-
"The dear little SOUR lac murmurcd aloud.
@Where IL she now Y" .'' I..'
Ills eyes darkcned with tender sweetness,
his lips quiyered with the ineifablc love that
hooded his being with Happiness akin to pain.
lie pictured their meeting, The pretty home
they would share together, the years they
would spend In each Others society, the tender
mutual love and care tbat would bless all t.'eir
lie had LEFT her a poor adyehiurer, 10 seek
his fortunes among the mines Of fdaho lie
was returning 10 her more Than moderately
rich man, With bills Of exchange In his cha.
mois money-bclt of sufficient value to support
them both In luxury ~ long w they might live.
IL was not to bc wondered at that his tho'ts
were pleasant. , -.... -
Suddcnly lle was aroused from his trance,
like silence, by cries of delight from his COM
panions, and by the fact that they had checked
their speed
Looking around him quickly, he behcld the
cause Of the unusual excitement. TO the
southwark, nj no great distance, small herd
of bufialos was grazing iazily, seemingly moi
az all alarmed by the near presence OF for.
midablc enemy M"
The wind was blowing from thcni, the hor
ses were fresh, and rs he looked at the tempt
ing game, Hubert felt the spirit OF the hunler
grow strong within lin.
the limo 10 speak 10 the lieutenant hi vas M,
half way bg that officer whose snnrLl,nr ,,es
and eager demennor atics,cd IN y Limpijns' - ~
NlnrodlIke zeal, S v
Earle " sSo,i,ed tbs G iIeaiena"1 mi @ spH%,t ,rs r
down upon his friend, for HIbcrs wasa dccI.
Il think II would bo n dowI,ri,ht shab'" ~
turn our backs on such splendid game" was
OF salt pork. Mid, those IN, m r b"Mines M umnsr
us ~ ~ ">"
The iieuienapt smiled, glanced up and down
ia men. and resolved 10 carry on, his nwu @ .na ~
she general desire ''''
AZ word of command from him, the par,v
Get oui at a quick GALLON for the sccn, of nc,inS
The buaaioes allowed the enemy 10 approach
quite near, the wind fayurinv thchuntrrs mi
al length began to snuff tha air uneasiIy to to
;sse sss their heads aud to look for che cause of
Z A moment later they had brl,eld i,,c enemy
and, with frightial be.liowInls and mighty
ramp. had begun ,'eir Wild, mad Hight % ihe
s,utlswaf,l. ~ 'r''N ~ - '''N
The chase was ,onv one and I, xas mai
nsthc hunters had run the buifaloea upon a
chance n them, They Then ,bS",, ~, Eo"e
several plump Young boflaIoes' and dinner dIy
sie !: noon % asa nv wslI wpSpIu hass dina ..,s a.,
IIe,itcfFsui. ,SsrTyinr iaf the bay,aye s,,,,i wo
vim their drivers were apnfoachihg' "KindIe