The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-03-26
cuAPrgR III-A Losr WOMAN.

~sahs A. n t,sy y.r. mighty flower, in the
Garden kiss,ng heaven, We came 10 another
little will0w-iin.d stream, crossed u, and
silently q 'sw the wagons IN IL lie circle IN
the sheltsr OF the large leauing willows,
and unyoked the patient snd weary oitue
II had been besriy dark long time.
That darkest hour whicn al says pfecedes
dav had covered Ill th,ngs tor The laet lew
miles. IL vas only Nv tue aid Of ths friend.
Nv Indian, who led tse oxen at tho head oil
the advance team tlat VIZ had been abls TO
And oar way to tins camp. The somen
And children, Of course, acre a,loep In the
wagons. Tue men plodded along patiently,
and kept very Vt II.
crept down Irom out the long, strong gfass,
and had drawn on and over tue white shore
OF salt, following stealthily, silently, GER
tainly as q shadow, han not oeen stem ior
hours Aud even then q was lar IN tue
rear, The salt and sand were heavy and
deep. The man Il lssI, even giant ID he
VAS mu 4 have had hard work 20 move his
harrow mere. Surely hs had broken down,
sickened may bet Died, let Us nops,
Whispered one t. another Of the terrified
band ns they unyosed the tired ca1te ana
turned them w tho banks Of the wiloS-
stream, watched them, and kept them close
to tho vii ows 81 hat they might not DO
seen by the DAnites.
Tho members VI the little party, as light
descended upon the dark watsrs, found
themseives RI IL close 90 tne banks OF the
glittering lake. They had travelled In
sort Of ors SCENT around nn arm on the north
end OF the .es. The camp was u pleasant
one. The little island with the three trees
WAS not 90 very tar away. IL lay almost be-
tween this can't aud tie one they had LETT
the night before. The solitary rock, with
its horrid association OF dead booy I'D
chains, was hugsest,vely nearI'oo hesI
down ard revealed It. Vat all thought of
IL. The willows broSiroed aud the valley
widensd up tnis LITTLE rivule', and the grass
was rank aud abundant Qnsil were heard
here piping in the deSy gsass n-cK OF
prairie.hens flew overhead ana settle DOW =
within near gunshot. But no ipan 'hou III
OF raising his gun. The report would pos
sibly bring the unwolc,me guest, the gnost-
Iy shadow, shom all were hoping, as they
nrapnred their breakfast Keeping tue smoke
subdued, had gone down IN tue sea Oh sai''
One of the man who were Watching the
cattle declared that ne saw wiid creature
In the willows. Suddenly, and before IL
was vet mite dawn, Nsttie Lane. now n
fairfield and balfnaked woman, crept into
csmp. WHAT a sight! Woods were MOI
abundant here. rbe.e willows were the
only kind OF protection ia when any iugi'
tive might find shelter the whole region
around. Aud here she bad been hlh'ng'
living onberries, .leepiug IN the WILLOWS, ID
the tall grass. waiting, praying Tor seme Que
to come that way with whom che could
trust her life and that which Is more than
lite to woman.
No need Of cues ions or OF answers now
The dead nody aud i's companions In
chains down by tho black rock when rose
from tho lase by the little tslund, how
silentlv told the VIII la terrible sorry. The
two mute and sulsn Dsnites that had gal
ioped pat spoke to NJ man by the coffin
and dieappeared; the silent men That fol'
lowed and searrhed and searched the rank
grass and wil,ws and looked in every
direction for some one need not open tneif
lips now. All understood the whoie serri'
"Tney had been judged, and we're not"
The tragedy hal taken place, or rather
the M tlrdsrs mad been committso, on tnis
very stream, aud not far from this very
rpot: ss some blood stAins little way up
tbA stresm q i'll bore testimony.
Byery hing. Of course, OF value had Dsen
taken: ''ihey mad wen judged, and were
not" Their property was confiscatad to
tha chutch How the girl had escaped she
hardly kntw herself. And indeed no one
asked directly. You do not understand
Well, when you reflect that no one
could true. his neigsbor, you VIII compre-
hand why no one spoke above whisper
now: and YOU will not be purprised that
she was not pressed TO tell her tale. Words
Ara the most eloquent things to tell story
with any way. Even the caildren huddled
together in groups ~ they crept QUE OF the
wagons, and understood, aud were client as
Tbs Girl sat down by the water, well con-
oealed. aud ate soma bread. Then after q
while. with the help OF some plying wo'
men. she combed out her long, spleudid,
black hair and tied 1t up with a ribbon. She
vas eyen then strangely beautitul.
The men kept looking no and down the
stream a. # half expecting the Dsntes to
dash In upon them from almost any quar-
car at almost any moment. A steep, high
hill rose abruptly before rs. To move on
With the girl and 50 essspe by sudden hight
before disOoversd-'his was . doubtful ex-
pertinent, and yet some wanted to try It q
ellhr..rdr. u seemed th.t " we could
climb that ridge that rose steeply before us,
and drive straight and steadily ahead I'LL
Ne came - Green river, we might escape.
Anyway We were too terrified to remain
here, Things we're packed up the weary
oxen again yoked, aud al was ready for an
"One thing to our advantage, the old spy
10 of the track anyhow" said a woman TO
her husband as che handed him his OK
The man looked at her, crooked hi!
thumb lust q little down the stream toward
the lake, and said nothing. There sat the
singular man composedly BY the side Of
his cofiin. quietly reading book as usual
and munchisg morsel Of dry bread.
Just when he had come no one knew
Perhaps he had passed the little party In
the night bv shorter path, Known only to
himself and his Dsnites.
However, II wss sll-important that no
ono should seem alarmed at his presence;
and then what elss could be donef All
was now ready for moving on. We could
unt - hnnt EaAr
che last moment the girl, between two wo.
men, and quite concealed by their shawls
orept into wagon with q party OF chill.
dren. The little train stretched itself out
and began to start brsvely MP the hill to-
ward the west. The leader storped. threw
across the dim road, Q party Of horsemen
suddenly drew rein.
'Danitesi"
It was whispered one word, and
ehst only by the women. The train. which
had not fairly started, was stopped, the
Children came out OF the wagons. The CIR
even came out, and there Was no concesl
mont Of any kind. This YES best and hon
est. The people we're not prepared or dis
posed TO heht. The nrst impulse Of On
American 10 70 6Rht when wronged or 10
peril, no matter Whist the odds. But wben
hunted down, .awet into submission BY
this eemi'reliGtous l9t Of madmsn-thess
Even : larger csrty, / % cure. had stood
~ and we,ssd We approaching Dsnitss u
There vas but one qussspn. Had the
eirl's beauty saved be-, q todSks' escaped
by chance or skillf Vould her ISautv save
her novi Not likely. Ole knew TOO much
The party Of srnaa sp1 ioAs.h.ir,d
horssnsn rode dovn q Hi toS.rd ths
camp. against the siGln6 oun, Nm lSsursly
nov: Their long dsspsFsse sse!ak ~ over