The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-09-12
FINDING THE TRAIL.

men in faded and ragged Dlue UNI
forms, every face sunburned and
bronzed. every sabre and carblne
showing long use, every horse lifting
it, head from the grass at short IN
teryals for swift glance up and
down the valley. 3 M
Here. at the foot Of the mountain,
the Apache trail, which has been
followed for three days, has grown
cold. Ave. it has been lost. ltis as
ifthe white man had followed path
which suddenly ended at a 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 solitary wild horse paws and pran-
ces and utters shrill neighs OF won
derment and alarm. Up the valley
is a long stretch Of green grass, the
earth as level as a floor and no visi-
bic sign Of life. The pines and
shrubs and rocks on the mountain
side might hide ten thousand lndi-
ans. but there is not the slightest
movement to arouse suspicion. 1t
is a still. hot day. Not bird chirps,
not a branch waves. The eye OF a
lvnx could detect nothing beyond
the erratic movements of the lone
Wild horse down the valley and the
circular flight OF an eagle SO high IN
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 1t 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 COM
motion. Here, in the centre OF the
valley, every foot print suddenly
disappears,
Look, now a sergeant with griz-
zly 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 a slow gallop. Each
man casts swift glances along the
mountain side to his right-along
the mountain side to his le!t-at the
green grass under his horses feet.
What's that Afar up the slope to
the right tomething waves to and
fro for moment. Higher up the
signal is answered. Across the val
ley on the other slope it is answered
again. Down the valley, full two
miles beyond where the wild horse
now stands like 4 figure of stone,
and where the valley sweeps to the
right ike the sudden turn of a river,
the signal Is caught up and 200
Apaches, eager, excited and mount
ed, drew back into the fringe at the
base of the mountain and wait.
The little band gallop straight
dowa upon the lone horse Now
they are only haif a mile away, and
his breath comes quick and his nos
trils 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 a fierce snort OF alarm and
defiance he rears up, whirls about
like a top, and is off DOWN the valley
ike an arrow sent by a strong hand.
The sight may thrill, but 1t does not
increase the pace of those who fol-
low. 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
above them-down the valley
they are looking for a hoof print,
for trampled spot, for a broken
twig-for a 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
RECEIVERS courage. He no longer runs
in a straight line, but he sweeps
away TO the left-swerves away 10
the right, and changes his gait to a
trot. When he hears the shouts of
pursuit and the louder thump of
hoof beats he will straighten away,
and show the pprsuers gait which
nothing but whirl wind can equal.
Look! 1t is only a quarter of a
mile now to the turn in the valley.
The lone horse has suddenly stop
ped to sniff the air. His ears are
pointed straight ahead, his eyes grow
larger and take on frightened look
aid he half wheels as If he would
gallop back to Those who have SEEM
lngly pursued him. Five, eight, ten
seconds, and with snort OF alarm,
he breaks into a terrific run, takes
the extreme lef of the valley, and
goes tearing out of sight as if follow
ed bv lions.
~'Halt,'"
The grim sergeant sees signs III
the action of the horse. Every troop
er 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 pen
citrate that fringe The Indians may
atneashed there. or the morse NAV
have scented wolf or grizzly. r
Forward
No man knows what danger lurk:
in the fringe, but the order was tC
scout beyond the bend To disobey
is ignominy and disgrace; to ride
forward is-waitl There is no ali
stirring in the valley. Every liml
and bow is as still as if made of iron
There is silence which weighs lik,
heavy burden, and the harsh not,
of hawk or buzzard would be a re-
lief.
Here is the bend. The valley con