Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-07-27
Au 0rigiual Starg*
LOST AND FOUND
THE WHITE FAWN OF THE FOREST.
By MRS. HENRY DEAs.
CHAPTER w.

There was little sleep on this night IN the
emigrant band, except among its juvenile
members. The minds of the elders were all
too much disturbed by doubts and fears to
admit of their finding repose. No slumber
closed the lids of the sick girl, whose eyes,
shining with unwonted brilliancy, turned with
vague, restless glances from one to another OF
the faces near her, but dimly visible in the
faint light of the candle burning in one corner
of her narrow-curtained chamber. Her fever
was at its height, and her mind had begun to
wander-a symptom which filled the anxious
watchers with fresh alarm. She scarcely no.
ticed when they spoke to her, or made irrele-
want, hslfbroken replies. "Water-water r
was her ceaseless cry, and as she eagerly
swallowed the draughts which they could not
refuse her, a terrible fear filled them, lest the
precious liquid should fail them utterly, and
the want Of it prove fatal to her.
It was night of unsurpassed beauty
myriads of stars shone in the calm vault OF
the heavens, looking down as if with compass
sionate, friendly eyes on these poor disheart-
ened pilgrims, as they looked on many anoth-
er touching scene, and on many happy homes
and happy hearts as we'll. The long line Of
wagons duskily outlined in the faint star
light, extended for many yards over the
ground. The worn out horses and mules,
eased from their burdens, slept singly or in
groups around them. Within the shelter of
the wagons most of the company reposed,
while some Of the men, slowly pacing up and
down, alternately kept watch. The Indians.
as was their custom, had Withdrawn to dis
tance, and stretched themselves in their blan-
kets on the ground. Their dark forms, scarce
~fy visible, appeared like mere undulations OF
the earth, or stems of fallen trees.
1t was Graham's turn to play the role of
sentinel. Absorbed in thought, he paced to
and fro, his eyes bent upon the sand at his
feet, and but seldom directed to surrounding
objects. At last however, as if BY sudden
impulse, he raised them and looked toward
the spot where their Indian guides had made
themselves bed. To bis surprise, be no Ion
ger discerned the outlines Of their forms.
The dusky heaps had disappeared, and the
bare ground alone met his gaze.
"They must have chose another resting
place" he said to himself, and he looked
eagerly round to see where they had gone.
But nowhere could he discover them, and
filled with sudden anxiety and fear, he has
tened to seek them in the rear-wagons, which
contained the supplies for their journey. His
search was vaiu-thsy had totally disap-
peared.
What could this mean? Graham speedily
aroused some of his companions, and inform
ed them of his discovery. 1t was impossible
to resist the suggestion of treachery on the
part of the guides, which Immediately pre-
sented itself to their minds. Yet there was
still chance that they might have gone of
alone to explore the way, and would return
by morning. Morning came, however, with
out bringing them, and when, after the lapse
of some hours more, they still did not appear,
the company was fain to conclude that the
willy creatures, having missed the road BY
which they had undertaken to lead them, and
not caring to confess their mistake or their
inability to rectify it, had quietly decamped,
thus leaving them in the lurch, without apol-
ogy or explanation.
This was serious misfortune to them.
However, they had not time to stand still and
lament over it. All they could do was to push
on and find out the road, the best way they
might, for themselves.
Dispirited enough, they once more set their
train in motion, giving little utterance to the
fears they felt, yet feeling them none the less
keenly for that. Half dozen Of the men
rode on in front as sort of advance-guard,
for the double purpose of keeping lookout
for any impending danger, and of being the
first to discern signs Of their approach to
their desired goal.
About sunset they espied, in the far dis
tance. some undulations that looked like a
line of hills. This awakened fresh hope in
their hearts. They had been told that they
were to cross some hills before reaching the
river, and it was probable that these might be
the very ones in question. Notwithstanding
the lateness of the hour, they resolved to
travel on as rapidly as possible, while the ad-
vance party should ride forward and satisfy
themselves as to the correctness of their sur
mise, and return after doing so to bring word
to the rest.
ALI were now full of eager expectation.
Even the Scots, though distressed at the
critical condition of their suffering child,
trusted that the fresh food and water they
hoped soon to procure would produce ia,
vorable change in her. How slowly the lum'
bering wagons seemed to move! All the ef:
forts of the drivers could not urge the jaded
beasts that drew them into faster gait than
a walk or slow trot. In fact, as it was ne
cessary for them all to keep together, it was
impossible to 60 at all rapidly, for the more
heavily.loaded conveyances would, in such
case, have been left behind. Meantime, Ora
ham, and the others who had gone on ahead
rode as fast as the tired condition Of theil
horses would allow; and just about nightfal
they came to the foot of the hills, which still
had to be crossed, or at least assembled, before
they could discover what lay beyond them
Leaving the horses and couple Of their party
below, the rest scrambled up by what appear
ed the easiest ascent, and endeavored to get 8
view of the surrounding country; but it was