The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-08-17
FINDING THE TRAIL.

Here in the shadow of this grim noun
tain is camp of cavalry-200 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
Z 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 followed
for three days, has grown cold. Aye,
it has been lost. 1t is as if the white
men had followed u path which sudden
ly ended at n precipice. 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 soil
tary wild horse paws and prances and
utters shrill neighs of wonderment and
alarm. Up the valley is long stretch
of green grass, the earth is level as a
floor and no visible sign of life. The
pines and shrubs and rocks on the
mountain side might hide ten thousand
Indians, butsthere is not the slightest
movement to arouse suspicion. 1t is a
still, hot day. Not bird chirps, not a
branch waves. The lynx could detect
nothing beyond the erratic movements
of the lone wild horse adown the valley
and circular flight of an eagle so
high in the air that the proud bird
seemed no larger than q sparrow.
For an hour every man and horse has
looked for "signs," but nothing has
been discovered beyond what has been
described. 1t is lost trail. There is
something in it to arouse suspicion as
we'll as annoyance. Ten miles away
the trail was rs plain as country high
way, and the Indians had no suspicion
of pursuit. Five miles back there were
ter of the valley, every foot print sud-
denly disappears.
Look. now A sergeant with grizzly
locks and fighting jaw rides down the
valley. followed by five troopers. They
arp - ."oui for the lost trail. Every
~" n lung his carbine, every
as been iightened, and every
"pkS over the camp rs
{ lac had been told that
he was nj. =, ..,. ...vcNcIl 10 COM
rades. Tnry ride at II slow gallop.
Each MIN casts swift chances along the
mountain side to his right-along the
mountain side to the left-at the green
grass under his horses feet.
What's that! Affair 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 beyond,
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 mount
ed. draw back into the fringe at the
base of the mountain and wait.
The little band gallop straight down
upon the lone horse. Now they are
only half mile away, and his breath
comes quick and his nostrils culver as
. he stands and stares at the strange
spectacle. A little nearer and his mus
cles twitch and culver and his sharp
pointed ears work faster. Only eighty
rods now, and with fierce snort OF
alarm and defiance he rears up, whirls
about like top, and off down the val
ley like an arrow sent by q strong hand.
The sight may thrill but it does not
increase the pace of those who follow.
The men see the wild horse fleeing before
them, but the sight does not hold their
eyes more than q second. To the right
to the left-above them-down the
valley-they are looking for q hoof-
print, for q trampled spot, for broken
twig-for sign however insignificant
to prove that men have passed that
way. They find nothing. The signals
ND 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 RECEIVERS
courage. He no longer runs in a
straight line, but he sweeps away to the
leftCswerves to the right, and changes
mis- gait to a trot. When he hears the
shouts of pursuit and the louder thumr
of hoof-beats, he will straighten away
and show the pursuers n gait which
nothing but whirl-wind can equal
Lookl 1t is only quarter OF mile
now to turn the valley. The lone morse
has suddenly stopped to sniff the air
His ears are pointed straight ahead. ms
ewes grow larger and take on fright
ened look and he half wheels as II nc
would gallop back to those who have
seemir ely pursued. Five. eight ten