The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1884-03-29
CHAPTER Ill.
\ LOST WOMAN.

flowers in a garden kissing heaven,
we came to another little willow
lined stream, crossed it, and silent
~ drew the wagons in a little cir
Gle in the shelter of the large lean
ing willows, and unyoked the wea-
ry and patient cattle.
1t had been nearly dark a long
time. The darkest hour which
always prccedes day had covered
all things for the last few miles.
II was only by the aid of the
friendly Indian. who led the oxen
ac the hcnd OF the advance team.
that we had been able to find our
way to this camp. The women
and children, of course, were asleep
in the wagons. The men plodded
along patiently, and kept very
still.
The long, black, haunting box,
that had crept down from the long,
strong grass, and had drawn on
and over the white shore of salt,
following stealthily, silently, GER
tainly as a shadow, had not been
seen for hours. And even then it
was far IN the rea The salt and
sand were heavy and deep. The
man at last, ven giant as he was,
must have had hard work to move
his barrow here. Surely lie had
broken down, sickened maybe :
died, let us hope whispered
one to another of the terrified little
band As they unyoked the tired
cattle and turned them up the
banks of the willow stream, watch
ed them, and kept them close to
the willows SO that they might not
be seen by the Danites.
The members of the little party,
as light descended upon the dark
waters, still found themselves close
to the banks of the %glittering lake.
They had travelled in a sort of cres-
cent around an arm on the north
end of the sea. The camp was a
pleasant one. The little island
with the three trees was not SO
very far away. II lay almost be-
tween this camp and the one they
had left the night before. The SOL
itary rock, with its horrid associa-
ton of a dead body in chains. was
suggestively near-too near, No
n spoke ofthis as the light came
down and revealed it. Yet all
thought of it. The willows broad
ened and the valley widened up
this little rivulet, and the grass
was rank and abundant. Quail
were heard here piping in the
dewy grass. A flock of prairie
hens flew overhead and settled
down within near gunshot. But
no man thought of raising his gun.
The report would possibly bring
the unwclcome guest, the ghostly
shadow, whom all we're hoping, as
they prepared their breakfast,
keeping the smoke subdued, had
gone down in the sea of salt.
One of the men who were watch
in the cattle declared that he saw
IL wild creature in the willows.
Suddenly, and before it was yet
quite dawn, Matte Lane, now a
terrified and half naked woman,
crept into camp. What a sight /.
Woods were not abundant here.
These willows were the only kind
of protection in which any fugitive
might find shelter the whole region
around. And here she had been
hiding, living on berries, sleeping
in the willows, in the tall grass,
waiting, praying for some one to
come that way with whom she
could trust her lite and that
which is more than life to woman.
No need of questions or of an
swers now. The dead body and
its companions in chains down by
the black rock which rose from the
lake by the little island, how ST
lentlv told the whole terrible story.