The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-13

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explain all. Ifyou recover my daughte
give it to her, otherwise burn it as it if
It. can interest no third party"
He was rapidly growing weaker, tn
eye was fixed, and the hoarse voic
faltered:
"Chase the Sioux, recover poor Rose
She is lady," he muttered, then witt
an effort he reused himself. 81 hav
gold for her-look-great rock, cross
full moon, shadow-dig and with
rattle, terrible gasp, and the stou
heart ceased to beat.
Possessing himself of the package, tht
officer briefly penciled the vague ant
unsatisfactory words of the dying maj
on the back. 1t might have been the
wanderings of q mind unsettled by the
near approach of death, but he was de-
termined to investigate the matter when
ever an opportunity should occur.
"Now for work, Dick. We'll bury
poor Claveripg, then follow on the trai
of these red fiends, and Rose shall either
be rescued or avenged"
Mounting their horses the two sadly
turned away, sallying forth upon the
dark and silent praisie.
Suddenly the scout halted, and his
hand pressed the arm of his superior
with nervous clutch.
"Look there, lieutenant. Do you
know what that means?"
Just under the horizon faint glow OF
light was perceptible, above which hung
black threatening cloud, which rapid
'ly spread over the heavens. Gradually
the stars disappeared, willie herds OF
wild mustangs, buffaloes and deer swept
furiously by.
Then it was the lieutenant realized
The danger he was in. The Sioux had
fred the dry grass from three different
points, and with gigantic leaps the bill
lovy flames were rolling, Kissing and
roarir e toward them.
But old Dick had not been idle. He
was TOO old and experienced an Indian
tighter to be outdone in the peculiar
warfare of the frontier.
Leaping from his horse, he struck o
light and set fire to the prairie in his
turn. Rapidly the flames spread, dart
ing onward, sweeping everything in its
path. Leading their horses forward the
two men followed close upon the track
of the counter fire, while every moment
the number of half.frantic animals in
creased.
s Stretching far away in front and be-
hind them, tis terrible crescent rapidly
closed in spon the men. The glowing
billows Of writhiag flame roared and
thundered il. their ears, smothering the,
cries OF the se5r animals, who persisted
by hupdreds. -
szS.a2, became very BIT and the
q! 81 Il H. $ s#s to fbses bassths. it oh
Their horses became almost unman-
ageable; they we're obliged TO cover
their own heads, as we'll as their beasts,
with blankets. 1t was On awful moment
If agonizing darkness, with the terrible
heat blistering the exposed portions of
their skins.
The earth shook beneath the mighty
tramp of an immense herd of buffalo, as
they burst suddenly forth from the sur.
rounding smoke. A muffled, indistinct
cry of warning from Dick echoed for q
moment in the ears of Paul Welch, and
then he felt himself borne furiously
along, his horse7hemmed in on all sides
by the frantic animals.
Hours elapsed before he succeeded in,
extricating his gallant animal from the
ranks of the buffaloes. and as he stood,
half sufocsted, his eyes all bat power,
less, the officer realized that he was
alone in the smoking waste, hopelessly
lost, surrounded by gloom and sitting;
odors, which rose necessarily from the
blackened earth.
: It was, agony to- remain, stationary,
and in hopes to gain a position where
the smoke would be less binding he
slowly urged his.horse over the prairie,
waiting and hoping for daylight to. ap.
pear.
Gradually the atmosphere became
clear, the stars peeped timidly forth,
above his head, while long gray streak
along the distant horizon gave token
that daylight would soon dawn.
As objects became more and more dis
tinct, the young officer was finally en-
abled to make out the rugged outlines,
deep gullies, thick underbrush, and Pc
culiar formation of the Black hills, into
the lower portion of which his horse had
wandered. Carefully he looked about
him On all sides. but failed to recognize
a single object. Everything was strange;
but the fact occasioned no disquietude
to the officer. He had every faith in
tire Judgment of his scout, and it would
not be many hours before the old vete-
ran would be on his trail, followed by
his faithful companions-in-arms.
He had allowed his horse to browse
on the fresh green verdure which had
escape the track of the fire, while he
plunged into o profound reverie over
the events of the last few hours, and was
oblivious to what was passing around
him.
The rumble of horses feet, a ferocious
veil, aroused the army officer to a full
sense of the peril into which his absence
of mind had partially betrayed him.
Pressing his regimental hat we'll
down upon his forehead, loosening the
sword in it's scabbard, and feeling for
his trusty revolvers, he dashed the spurs
into his horses sides, while in his rear
followed half a dozen half-naked war
riors, yelling like 80 many fiends.
It would have been madness to have
turned back and galloped on to the
burnt prairie, where no cover was to be
found, but by penetrating deeper into
the hills chance was barely possible
of escaping the painted fiende.
The animal which Paul Welch be-
strobe had the reputation of both speed
and endurance, qualities that were now
likely to stand him IN good need. The
turf was soft and springy, the ascent
gentle. and, having every faith in the