Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-31
FINDING The TRAIL.

after de,late from thi- rub"
FINDING The TRAIL.
Here IN the shadow OF this grim
mountain is "A caiup Of cavalry 300
men in faded and ragged blue uni
forms, every face sunburned and
bronzed, every sabre. and carbine
showing long nsc. every horse lift
ing its head from the grass at short
intervals for u swift glance up and
down the valley.
Here, ut the foot of the mountain,
the Apache trail, which has been fol
lowed for three days, has grown cold.
Aye. it has been lost II is ms if the
white men had followed path which
suddenly ended at a precipice. From
this point the red demons took wings,
and the oldest trailer is at fault.
Tho men on picket looked up and
down the narrow valley with anxious
faces. Down the valley, a mile away.
solitary wild horse paws and pran-
ces and utters shrill neighs OF won
derment and alarm. Up the valley
is long stretch of green grass, the
earth a. level as floor and no visible
sign Of life. The pines and shrubs
and rocks on the mountain side might
hide ten thousand Indians, but there
is not the slightest movement to
arouse suspicion. It is a still, hot
day. Not bird chirps, not a branch
wavea The eye of lynx could de-
tect nothing beyond the erratic move
ments OF the lone wild horse adown
the valley and the circular fight OF
an eagle SO high in air that the proud
bird seemed no larger than spar
row.
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 in it to arouse
suspicion rs we'll 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 werc signs of com
motion. Here, in the center of the
valley, every footprint disappears.
Look, now! A sergeant with griz-
Ely locks and fighting jaw rides down
The valley followed by five troopers.
They are to scout for tho lost trail.
Every man has unslung his carbine,
every saddle girth has been tight
sned, and every man Of the six looks
over the camp as he rides ont as If
he had been told that he was bidding
a last farewell to comrades. They
ride at q slow gallop. Each man
casts swift glances along the noun
tain side to his left-at the green
grass under his horses feet
What's thatl Afar up the slope to
the right something waves to and fro
for moment Higher up the signal
is answered. Across the valley on
the other slope it is answered again.
Down the valley. full two miles be-
yond where the wild horse now stands
like a figure Of stone, and where the
valley sweeps to the right like the
sudden turn Of river. the signal is
caught up and 200 Apaches, eager,
excited and mounted, draw back into
the fringe at the base Of the noun
tain and wait.
The little band gallop straight
down upon the lone horse. Now
they are only half a mile away, and
his breath comes quick and his nos
trils quiver as he stands and steres at
the strange spectacle. A little nearer
and his muscles twitch sand quiver
and his sharp pointed ears work
faster. Only eighty rods now, and
with fierce snort OF alarm ard de
fiance he rears up, whirls about like
q top. and is off down the valley like
an arrow sent ~ a strong hand.
The sight me. thrill, but it does
not increase the pace of those who
follow. Tie men SEQ the wild
horse fleeing before them, but the
sight does not hold their eyes more
than second To the right-to the
lef-above them-down the valley
they are looking for a hoof print,
for a trampled spot, for = broken
twig-for sign however insignifi
cant TO prove that men have passed
that way. They find nothing. The
signals up the mountain side were
visible only for seconds.
After the first wild burst Of speed
the lone horse looks back. He sees
that he is not being pushed, and he
recovers courage. He no longer
runs in a straight line. but he sweeps
away 10 the lcft-swerves away to
the right and changes his gait for a
trot When lie hears the shouts of
pursuit and the louder thump Of
hoof beats he will straighten away
and show the pursuers a gait which
nothing but whirlvind can equal.
Look! II il only quarter OF a
mile now to the turn in tho valley.
The lone horse has suddenly stopped
to sniff the air. His ears are point
cd straight ahead, his eyes grow
larger and take on frightened look
and he half wheels as il he wouId
gallop back TO those who have seem
ingly pursued. Five, eight. ten sec
onds, and with snort Of alarm he
breaks into terrific run, takes the
extreme left II the valley. and goes
tearing out Of sight as il followed
hv Lnus