Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-01-26

lluJ lie Tdu Oil ldols anu hS'SA
ened his pace till he had covereda DIS
tnce of at sleast ten miles IRON tie
place where lie had dseen the Blackfeet
cross the creek. His surmise was hat
he sayages. Gu discovering bis trail,
would pursue him, bat would expect 10
come upon him at every trap, and
heoce would follow on steallhily, and
At no great speed.
Having thus planned out ten,mlle
chase for them. Markhead ran back
across the narrow meadow, and climb
ing the bluffs. made detosr for bis
camp again, Keeping a mile or over
from the creek. back among the sand
hills and cliffs. .as Fw
Being feet and praticed runner, he
was not more than an hour aud a'haii
making the trip back to the vicinity ot
MS camp, among the cottonwoods, the
tall tops of which be could see at
great distance. 49,.
After taking breath a few minutes
and looking 10 his rifle. Matkhead
crt D. out among The boulders on > the
crag overlooking the campIug-place
for he expected the indians would leave
one of their number to watch the horse'.
That one he was prepared to deal 1ilh'
FROM the crag, he soon saw the SIX
ponies down among the timber. Phfy
we're hhched up near his own. horse.
Nor Was he wrong in his conjecture
,bout The savages leaving one OF their
number with the horses. The packs;
and after looking a few moments, he
espied an Indian sitting in the shade OF
bush, on heap Of buffalo skins aud
pellrles.
Watching the Indian little, Mark
head crept down, noIseless as fox, TO
a large cottonwood, rather nearer the
horses, aud then, steadying his piece
against the tree.trunk, was just about
to shoot the uuwary sentinel, when tho
Indian turned partially, and 10 his great
surprise he saw that it was not
Blackfoot warrior. but a plump and
very comely squaw.
Markhead often admitted that. for
The lrstanl, he was quite nonpusseo.
lie did not know what to do. Tor he
would not shoot the squaw. AT length
he gave a shout, and rushed toward her.
The squsw bounded from her sea-,
aud seeing the trapper close upon her
yelled like pig" as Mar khead sald'
and started 10 run away. But she had
not got many yards before Markhead
seized her by her long hair; at wblcn
the poor woman, thiuking. no douoI,
hat her last hour had come, crou;hed
on the ground. and begged plteously,
in choicest Blackfoot, for the white man
to spare her.
Markhead led hSr back to the ponies,
and drawing Lis knife, inumaled to her
b, most emphatic dumb show that her
to2-not would assuredlg come of II she
made the least attempt to escape.
With that. the squaw protested, with
every gesture she could devise. that
.he would never try to get away; she
would be ike little dog, and run at
his heels; she would be like the pony's
tail, always at his back, and insepara-
BILE from him.
Finding that her life was 10 no inn
mediate danger, the squaw rapidly re-
covered from her fright aud in answer
to signs, gave her captOr to understan
,hat the five savagas had gone on hrs
trail IN the creek, just as be had sur-
missed the, would. and had been so
conf fdent hat they would find bin,
tha. they had left only this squaw to
sit by the ponies. .si -.-"
Markhead thought over the distiuce.
and concluding be had a full l"o-
hou.s start of them, resolsed to take 1t
easy. He made the sqaaw unpsck
some cold venison which they had in
one oftheir sack.; and thu two strange
compasions luuched very couviYially
together, for the long run Markhead
had taken had given him a good appe'
tite.
Assisted by the squaw. he next
packed up all the Indians peltrie', and
lashed them on TIE backs Of the ponies,
making up a sort Of pony train, at the
head of which he placed the ssuaw.
Theo collecting his own proDerty. he
mounted his horse and set of. driving
lb. whole train in front of him-nasier
Of the situation-leaying, in fact, moth
ing of any value behind.
Once out on the plains, clear OF TIE
cracs and timber. Markhead drove bis
singular cavalcade on at a great pace,
and travelling all the rest OF the d'y
and all that night with bat brief halls,
reached a trading post-Laramie fort,
probably-toward the end ofthe next
Isy. The feelings Of the outwltied
Blackfeet on their return to the plS,e
where they had left their ponies, after
Markheaj, may perhaps better be left
10 the fancy of the reader.
The young trapper realized abost SIX
hundred dollars from the sale Of the
captured ponies, peltries, buffalo robes,
and other property.
The squaw was some time afterward
reclaimed at the fort by a Blackfoot
chief. whose wife she had been wher
cantured. On Markhead being pointed
out to him at the post, he SAID: HE
big warrior. He play beaver on
Indian.v
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