The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-05-09

lov us with q speed, 80 as to join "a d IL,
thcoth. Of the Illinois, by sunrise to.borrow
3; Unlesa the 1fsil shonld lead us,too much
q out of tbeway, we will wait forthcm there
II If you do not ind us there, look for three
columns of smoke, ranging north and south
and make ah haste to come up,s -, 3
Fielding made no reply but putting
spurs to his horse, turned his head to the
west, aud was soon out of sight, while
Edgar aud w bite, now left alone, took their
way as rapidly as was possible up the banks OF
the stream. 1t was small force with which
to attack twenty savages but, had the odds
been. ten times greater Edgar's eagerness
+ and Whites zeal would have felt no check.
What they might not effect by the strong
hand they trusted to stratagcm to compass
and even the savage was no match for the
ranger, in cunning.
| The two adventurers had goue scarcely
mile when they were brought suddenly to
halt. The trail was about equally divided
-one half the party keeping up the bed
OF the stream, and the other half issuing
toward the left, aud leading off westward
This was embarrassing. The prisoner could
not be with both divisions and it was cx-
tremely difficult to determine which to fol.
| low
eve are at fault" said Edgar.
There is a sign which may set US right"
exclaimed White, pointing to little strip
of some white stuff which fIuttered upon
bush, but few PAGES from the water
THE briars have befriended us at need"
Edgar rode rapidly to the place. A
narrow strip-evidently torn rrom James
bridal dress-huug fluttcring upon briar,
as if caught in passing. He halted at the
distance of several yards, and cautiously
approached on foot. closely scrutinizing the
ground at every step. The horses had
passed, without doubt, near enough to brush
against the briars; but directly beneath
the fragment, small dry twig was broken,
and the leaves about it were fattened to tho
ground.
GA mocassined foot has been set there"
he muttcred. And on directing the exam
inatien to the fragment, his suspicion was
confirmed, that it not accident but design
which placed it there. The fabric was not
drawn, as it would have been, had it been
torn inpassing; and it bore marks of large
hand than James.
"Thcy arc trying to outwit us, White"
said the captain "but they don't know
with whom they have to deal. This little
piece of muslin is Rcdskn lie-though
itslid come from Jane Ficlding's dress.
We must keep up the stream, and let those
decoys go on their way"
cit has been ascertaincd," says Chateau.
BRAND, "that the white man, in America,
is capable of enduring more hardships and
privation than the Indian, and is decidedly
his superior even in his own mode of war
fare :" and thence be dcduces sundry pro-
positians about differences in race, and other
Improbable speculations. But the facts,
about which there is no dispute, instead of
being the result of generic distinctions, are
the effects of q much later cause-supcrior
intellectual culture. Not that the rangers
of those days were highly educated men, in
the ordinary acceptation of the term but
any degree in the scale of civilization, by the
providence Of God possesses measurcless
advantages-in all the pursuits of life-over
every lower grade. And though these were
decidedly ignorant men, their evident supc-
riority over their enemics-without contra
diction in terms-was tho fruit of their
mtcNigcncc.
We cannot linger to detail the minute
and to other men, imperccptible signs. or
the acute and logical reasonngs upon these,
which led the adventurers unerringly upon
their way, though all would illustrate so
clearly the principle above. They followed
tho trail after it left the stream, several
miles toward the north when, on entering
the broken country on the head waters of
the Piasan, it vereed suddenly to the left,
and led, almost "as the bird flies" directly
| toward the Illinois river. A little before
sunset they reached the banks of this tran
| quill stream and but moments examiEa-
tion was sufficient to determine that the fugi.
tives had crossed here some hours before.
But this was not the only inference that
Edgar drew from the signs of their halt
The footprints of several horses led off from
the river, in different directions but it was
in that uncertain winding way which ami
mails take while grazing, and from the
extent of these paths, it was evident that q
halt Of some duration had been made
While minutely examining the ground the
captain suddenly discovered the print of {
small shoe, and following it little aside
he approached the river bank, and discoy
cred the impress of both Of James feet in the
soft loam. Directly over these, upon viii
low branch, hung a snail shell comb
evidently placed there as signal for him
Besides her footprints were those Of two
savages, who had sought her, and dragg, &c
her roughly back to the halting point
| a A. 81.