San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-08-09
FINDING THE TRAIL.
Detroit Free Press ,

Here III lllt SldI&ON Va oi4S AAO'-
Tain is camp of cavalry-2OO men
in faded and ragged blue uniforms,
every face sunburned and bronzed,
every sabre and carbine showing long
use, every horse lifting its head from
the grass at short intervals for swift
Glance up and down the valley.
Here, at the foot Of the mountain
the Apache trail, which has been fol-
lowed for three days, has grown cold.
Ave, if has been lost. It is as if the
white men had followed a path which
suddenly ended at a prlciplce. From
this point the red demons took wings
and the oldest trailer is at fault.
The men on picket looked up and
down the narrow valley with anxious
faces. Down the valley, mile away,
a solitary wild horse paws and prances
an utters shrill neighs of wonder
ment and alarm. Up the valley is a
long stretch of green grass, the earth
as level as floor and no visible signs
of life. The pines and shrubs and
rocks in the mountain side might hide
ten thousand Indians, but there is not
the slightest movement to arouse sus-
picion. 1t is a still, hot day. Not a
bird chirps, not a branch waves. The
eye of a lynx could detect nothing be-
yond the cratic movements of the
lone wild horse adown the valley and
the circular flight Of en- eagle SO high
in the air that the proud bird seemed
no larger than sparrow.
For an hour every man and horse
has looked for signs" but nothing
has been discovered beyond what has
been described. 1t is a lost trail.
There is something i'll it to arouse
suspicion as well as annoyance. Ten
miles away the trail was as plain as a
country highway and the Indians had
no suspicion of pursuit. Five miles
back there were signs of connection.
Here in the center of the valley, every
footprint suddenly disappears.
Look, now! A sergeant with grizzly
looks and fighting jaw rides down the
valley, followed by five troopers. They
are to scout for the lost trail. Every
man has unslung his carbine, every
saddle giEth has been frightened, and
every man of the six looks over the
camp as lie rides out as if lie had
been told that he was bidding q last
farewell 60 comrades. They ride at a
slow gallop. Each man casts swift
chances along the mountain side to
MS ngkt-along the mountain side to
his Ieft-at the green grass under his
horses feet.
Whats that! Afar up the slope to
the night something waves to and trC
Tor moment. Higher up the signal
is ans Werti. Across the valley on the
other slope it IS answered again.
Down ulg valley, and jul two miles
beyond where the wild horse now
stands like a figure or stone, and
where tie valley sweeps 70 the night
Ike the sudden turn oi "a river, /,
caught rn. ana 300 AvasLes, eager
excitc,i a,ll mounted, draw back into
the fringe q; :nc base OF the mountain
and wait.
The lizzie baui ra.lov straight down
upon tie lone horse. New they arr
onlyhslf a mile away. and his breath
conc gus-k and his -os-IIls culver a
he STANDS AND stares ~ tic strange
spectI &C.. 4 h;tis nearer and hl:
muse tHI.ch and culver and IN:
sharp .riu-ei ears wcrk faster. Onl!
a. h'v res ucr, and wl:k a fierce
,nsfr 90 isIm ana defiance ne rear
up, uL-rl- ajCgt Ike a tCI, and Is Of
aoEu tl- valley liEe AZ aITOw sent ~
a ssrau- hand. Tls sight nay thrill
but ID does not increase tie race o
lhose who follow. The Geu see TIT