Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-04-02

" SET out At quick gaiioP f0s ne seer
aetion. s
The buffaloes allowed ~ sp- -.
proach quite near, Tho wircus 6.s,1-;,. X.
hunters; but :. length hlfx6 g nun III
air unea ily, to shaks8 fheir beads. and to
look for Z cause s>ot their apprehensions.
A momt ater they had bebeld the en-
emy, and with trigh,ful beilowings and nigh
y IapP, had begun their wild, mad flight
TO tse southward.
The chase was long one; and il was
I not till the hunters had run the bufTaloes
| upon spur Of the Black Hills that thev
| got good chance at them. They then
| brought down several plump young buff:.>
loes, and dinner speedily become the watch.
word.
1t is noon, and we'll have dinner said
the lieutenant, observing that the baggare
animals with their drivers were approaching.
kindle fire, boys, and we'll have steaks
and roasts in sbundsnce.'
While this ordel was being carried into
effect, Hubert and several others engaged in
surveying the scene.
A lonely and desolate spot said Hubert,
thoughtfully. . 1t looks Is il man had
never before visited it,
And no WONDER returned Bridges,
since it's Eve miles off the route. Whai
could any man want here, unless be might
| be in pursuit Of buffaloes?'
There being no answer to this question,
Huburt proceeded to find an excellent grs,
zing spot for his horse, tethered him, and
| flung himself on the ground in the shadow
Of the bill. The lieutenant and portion Of
the men followed his example.
l Dl~.x- q L.
enough to burn, and several fires were soon
kindled. The choicest portions Of the huffa>
loes we're readily prepared for cooking,
and It was not long before the ordor ofburn-
Aesh was diffused on the air four or Eve
hungry soldiers serving as cooks. Js
| II was wild Ficnic scene on those lonely
wilds, and every man there enjoyed il with
Suddenly a shout from one Of the men
wLo we're strolling around, arrested the alton.
,e Of the others.
Halo, boysr he cried. Pm blest if here
isn't cave in the hill Come, see the hole
under these bushes. You never saw anything
hidden neater in your liyes.'
Jones thinks nobody ever saw cave be-
fore, said one of the lour gers For my
part, think more o. something 10 eat, than
Of bole in the ground.
This sentiment was echoed by the others,
kut the inquisitive cave discoverer, nothing
daunted, approached the fire, took from it .
torch, returned to the butte, under the
dark aperture in the face Of the rock,
and disappeared within It, his light giving
back yellow glare for second after be
had ceased to be seen.
The camp revelry went on, the cooking
progressed, the minutee passed, and Jones
did not reaprear.
i If that fellow had found gold mine in
there he wouldn't call one of u.s. growled
the lounger who had before spoken. l won
der what Jones has found. I'll Jest take q
look, - dinner isn't ready
He arose lazily, abetracted . stick OF bur-
sing wood fos . torch, proceeded TO the cav
eru entrance, and disappeared from view,
| 'Probadly,' sad Hubert, there's large
cavern under that hill. five had time, it
might pay to explore il. Under the present
circumstances, Am like Brown, and prefer
my dianss = scientific explorations
Il The meal seemed to be nearly ready, fos
! the rattling of tin esps end dshes began 10 b.
, heard; the lieutensnt's small esnp-ehes
, was unpacked, and the eooks shouted to th.
l
III Have Jones and Brown came back ?
/ asked the ieutsoant, - he rose to . sitting
position, and glanced towards the cavern.
The men replied in the negative.
Il 60 after them then, King and hurry
. them up,' said the officer. We must re-
.rme =: march .issr dinner, and canno,
afford to waste time here
King 6ne young soldier, took torch,
AID eutered the cave.
The dinner was dealt out--hot saTory
steaks and roasts-the coffee measured, aad
the meal commenced, but none of the men
who had entered the cave made their ap>
peanncel
How sngularr calculated Bridges, test
, tly and impatiently, 'Waht can keep those
mem! King has been gone ten minutes.
Here, Sergeant Halsey hurry those men upl'
The sergeant . brown, strong man Of
middle age, hesitated, and veutured to STAN
mer;
Il beg your pardon, Lieutenant. but l
think there's something wrong inside the
! cave. There's three men in there-all hun
gry and knowing that dinners ready. Scre-
y they'd come back if they could. Perhaps
there's wild beasts, or some strange kind Of
3 gas that smoshes 'em, or
Nonsense, Serecantr interrupted the
lieutenant frosning. 'Igive you Eve min>
Q utes to bring those men back. Gor
: The sergeant's face paled, but without an
: other word, be took up torch and entered
: the cave, disappearing from the gase Of his
friends.
The minutes passed. the lieutenant and
. the men ate their dinner nechanically,
!, awaiting anxiossly .he expected return, yst
none Of the four came back.
The words of the sergeant had made
' deep impression on the minds Of kis hearers.
+ A esneral gloom fell upon the camp and the
men cast frequent and fearful glsnces in
2 lLe direction Of the cavern. Even the lieu
tenant and Hubert Eel. . strange depression
creeping over them, which neither conld ~
9 sist.
What caa b. the matterr at length de-
, manded the officer. The sergsants in
trouble, I should Judge, By this long absence.
There can't b ga IN the cave, or if so, be
| would probably have had time to cry out.
{ There can't Be Wild beasts, for thoss four
men were al veil armed, and would at least
, have 6rsd. Which of I'll you men will 60
into the cave snd learn what the matter isf
There vas general shrinking hack. kv.
~ colder was brave in IN Indian eight, but
, not one dared to face . mysterious and un-
knowu danger. Not one wished to risk the
complete and total disappeaTanco from earth
and human knowledge that had befallen hia
comrades.
Whoever viii venture in search Of the
missing men shall receive from me hun
dred dollars in gold exclaimed Hubert. in
his clear ringing tones. Who speaks hfst
. for the money?
The offer was tempting but Vas not
accepted. Not word Of reply Vas made
to It. :.
Hubert hesitstsd, sivining brisf thought
10 Nisian, his loved and waiting Hiran! I!
He fScs ihsa eiosed sith heroic light,
and ke aaid, in tones that did not faltef:
Twill 70 in ssarch Of ths nsn, Lissssn>
,, ant Bridges. Only, Jour party . nov small,
and i'll do not return in twenty minutes
you may resume your journey
! but, Earle expostulatsd The isatsnAnf
z this il positive madness. Io1 muse -
risk your life. We will wait . whilss - Z
: The msn do not rstnru, Ne vill noss ser
They may need help repGsd HoA9(
stsadily. They may have saeoHn1esee-
veil, God knows what I can't iaag!sA
Gre my ride, come to me. ul6M - =
{ turn within the time appoineses 0oso enF
He went up 70 the nsasees esss Ias.se
. | Z blazing stick. arranged his - ~ ngonI
4 use. approached the mouth Il ~ eAse, pee
l "a 1s-N~1.n4 4no -