Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-11-12

still, hot day. Not bird chirps, not
a branch waves. The eye of lynx
could detect nothing beyond the er-
ratio movements of the lone wild !
horse down the valley and the circu-
lar fight of an eagle so high in the
air that the proud bird seemed no
larger than a 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 in it to arouse suspicion
as well as annoyance. Ten miles
away the trail was as plain as
country highway, and the Indians had
no suspicion of pursuit. Five miles
back there were signs of commotion.
Here, in the centre of the valley, ev-
cry foot print suddenly disappears.
Look, now A sergeant with grizzly
locks 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 girth has been
tightened, and, every man of the six
looks over the camp as he rides out
as if he had been told that he was
bidding last farewell to comrades.
They ride at slow gallop. Each
man casts swift glances along the
mountain side to his right-along the
mountain side to his left-at the
green grass under his horses feet.
What's that! 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, a full two miles be-
yond where the wild horse now stands
like 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, drew back into
the fringe at the base of the mount
ain 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
nostrils quiver as he stands and stares
at the strange spectacle. A little
nearer and his muscles twitch and
quiver 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
a top, and is off down the valley like
an arrow sent by strong hand. The
sight may thrill, but it does not in
crease 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 a second.
To the right-to the left-down the
valley-they are looking for hoof
print, for trampled spot, for a
broken twig-for sign, however in
significant, to prove that men have
passed, that way. They find nothing.
The signals up the mountain side
were visible only for few 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 straight line, but he sweeps away
to the left-swerves away to the
right, and changes his gait to trot.
When he 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
a whirlwind can equal. Look IT is
only a quarter Of a mile now to the
turn in the valley. The lone horse
has suddenly stopped to sniff the air.
His ears are pointed straight ahead,
his eyes grow larger and take on
frightened look and he half wheels as
if he would gallop back to those who
have seemingly pursued him. Five,
eight, ten seconds, and with snort
of alarm, he breaks into terrific
run, takes the extreme left of the
valley, and goes tearing out of sight
as if followed by lions. Halt !"
The grim sergeant sees signs in the
action of the horse. Every trooper
is looking ahead and to the right.
The green valley runs into the fringe,
the fringe into a dense thicket, the
thicket into rock and pine and
mountain slope. No eye could
penetrate that fringe. The Indians
may be ambushed there, or the horse
may have scented wolf or grizzly.
Forward" !"
No man knows what danger turks
in the fringe, but the order was to
! scout beyond the bend. To disobey