Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-07-25
Finding the Trail.

mountain Is q camp OF cavalry-ZOO
men in faded and ragged blue uni
forms, every face sunburned and
bronzed, every sabre and carbine
showing long use, every horse lifting
its head from the grass at short inter
walls 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.
Aye, it has been lost. 1t is as if the
white men had followed path which
suddenly ended at 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 prances
and utters shrill neighs of wonder
ment and alarm. Up the valley is a
long stretch of green grass, the earth
as 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, but there is not
the slightest movement to arouse sus-
picion. 1t is still, hot day. Not a
bird chirps, not a branch waves. The
eye of a lynx could detect nothing
beyond the cratic movements of the
lone wild horse adown the valley and
the circular fight of an 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 lost trail.
There is something in it to arouse sus-
picion 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 com.
motion. Here, in the center of the
valley, every footprint suddenly dis
appears.
Look, now! A sergeant with grizz
ly 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 frightened
and every man of the six looks over
the camp as he rides out as if he had
been told that he was bidding q last
farewell to comrades. They ride at 9
slow gallop. Each man casts swift
glances along the mountain side to his
right-along the mountain side to hi'
left-at the green grass under hi
horses feet.
What's that! Altar up the slope tc
the right something waves to and fro
for moment. Higher up the sigma
is answered. Across the valley OF
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 a river, the signal j:
caught up and 200 Apaches, eager
excited and mounted, 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 a 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
muscles twitch and culver 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 top, and is of
down the valley like an arrow sent by
a 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 second. To the right-to the
left-above them-dOwn the valley
they are looking for a footprint, for
a trampled spot, for broken twig-
for sign however insignificant to
prove that men have passed that way.
They find nothing. The signals up
tho mountain-side were visible only
lOI sCCOiiuSs
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 to the right,
and changes his gait to trot. When
he hears the shout of pursuit and the
louder thump Of hoofbeats he will
straighten away and show the pur-
suers gait which nothing but a
whirlwind can equal.
Look! 1t is only a quarter of n
mile now to the turn in the valley.
The lone horse has suddenly stopped
~ e,;H tba o;r HE oorc oro ,o;pto1