The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-05-09
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! THE RANGERS CHASE. = I
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AWcstern Story Of the War Of fs1s.
BY J. L. MCCONNELL, AUTHOR or talbot
ANp,vERNoN," ETC.
scHApTEs III. :,
TIE CHASE ENDED.

t~o"n nAo suots ufc Ifom tue eastern n0rlzOn
when the disappointed rangers were again
astir. Their horses-which had been pick.
eted upon the prairie, each with long rope
after the ranger fashion of feedingewere
6sst tnkca tsa aittle stfeam to dri1K, and
then moved to fresh place, to Craze until
their riders were prepared to mount. Such
provision as they had made against their
own hunger was then dispatched without
delay and with little preparation. Fortu-
nately, however, the wedding feast had furn.
ished viands enough for more than ten times
their number and with the readiness of the
| women of those days, each had been pro.
vided by wife, sister or sweetheart, with
supplies, ample and well selected.
1t was now plain, that the chase before
them was long one and it was no equiv
ocal aagury Of their resolution to follow it
to the end, that they thus set out with sys-
tematic prudence.
by the time they had finished hasty
breakfast, and each taken deep draught
from the stream where they had watered
their horses, the gray of the dawn had
deepened into red, and the dew drops upon
the bending grass were sparkling like di,-
monds in the opening light. The birds
within the grove were futtering, full of
matin songs, from branch to branch, or float
ing off-in long and graceful fights-far
over the verdant plain the grouse came
out upon the knolls, where the herbage was
short and green, and strutting pompously
fromside to side, clumsily plumcd themselves
in the morning beams on the ridges, far.
thcr off, the deer stalked out from sheltering
hollows, and stamping daintily upon tho
ground, or tossing proudly up their antlered
heads, snufed vainly at the rising wind
A low, faint sigh, as of passing spirit,
floated-scareely audible-along the jew
eled grass, and shook the jewels gently from
the blades. The stars went slowly out, or
fialsspwdsdis Ale s-brightsnis Shsasru;
the shadows that still fingered round the
groves were fading rapidly, or deepening
into shade; the red in the east grow yellow,
and an arc of white announced the suns
approach. The day had taken full posses
sion Of the earth and sky.
"Thcre is light enough now, boys" sid
Edgar, rising to his feet, ito begin the
search Cor the trail. Let us saddle up and
be of"
Time was never wasted by these men
within five minutes all were in the saddle,
and extended along tho northern and west.
crn skirts of the grove, in search of iudi-
cations left by the enemy. A signal was
given by one at tho extreme north-the trail
was found, and the whole company at once
gallopcd to the plac,. Edgar sprans to the
ground, and examined the track.
"Just as l suspected, boys" said he, rem
ounting. "There has been but one Red skin
here, and he has been sent this way, to
build that fire and attract US from the pur-
suit"
"Iudian like" said White "they have
used our own vigilance. 10 circumvent us.
But we'll never give it up so, Captain"
"Never," was Edgar's decided answer.
"But we have lost the trail, and must re-
cover it. We must separate into small par
ties, and continue the chase. We are pretty
nearly due east from the Portage, for which,
1 think, they are makipg-at all events,
they will not 60 south of It. We will meet
in the evening-there; or, if the trail
should turn northward, we may come to-
gether sooner. Let no one linger on the
way-we have lost too much time already"
The company was soon divided into
squads of two and three; Edgar took with
him White and George Fielding; and, re-
peating the injunction not to linger, rode
away to the northwest. The three other
divisions set out at tho same time, upon di.
vergipg lines; but all maintaining the same
general direction.
For an hour, those in the centre kept all
the rest in view; but, at the end of that
time, the undulations of the prairie, and
the rapidity with which they travelled, had
completely separated them. Edgar, and
the two companions, whom he had chosen
as well for the excellence of their horses
as for their wellknown courage and cool.
ness, we're upon tho extreme right or North.
ern fank--a post which the young cap
tain had selected, both on account Of its
danger and for the advantage II gave him.
should the Indians turn to the north. Ii
with him that We must continue the chase.
Several hours passed away, during which
they had crossed the belts of timber which
grew upon the banks Of two or three prairie
streams when, on approaching one q the
Cahokia, they suddenly found themselves
upon the trail of siagle horseman. Keep
ing away from the timbei, it stretched to
ward the north, parallel with the course o.
the stream, disdaining the conccalmen
which might have been in the wood. Tn,
three drew up, and Edgar dismounted.
"It is the same Indian who kindled th,