Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-07-09
A PkAlRIE ADVENTURE d.

could not choose but wonder,
Had she been kissed before! |
A PLAlRIE ADVENTURE.
"Hot as ever, aud hotter too When
shall we have rain again, l wonder ?"
"Hold your tongue, can't you, Dick
whatever sets you wishing for rain on
the morning OF a pic mic ?"
"There's no need to wish for 1t,
struck in the third member OF The party,
with a grin; you've only got to start
out on a pic-n. Q, and the rains bound
10 come y ithout being called tor T.
The speakers were three young men,
on y hunting expedition over the
prairies Of the TAR West Their tour
had already lasted several weeks, ard
their plan for the day was To ride oy,r
the prairie TO curiously shape b. .
or rather bluff, which was one OF the
Sights" OF the district, lunch at i.s
foot, and then, unless some specially
attractive game happened to fall IN
their way, ride back again, before The
heat of the day set in, to their log hut,
in front OF which they were now stand
ing beside their saddied horses.
Just at that moment their guide stalk
@ out from behind the hut, leading his
horse by the bride ; and u very strik.
ing figure he was. His sharp, vulture.
like features, and the coppery hue Of
his scantily clad body, showed him to
bs an Indian but his name of Mahto-
chuga (Little Bear) seemed anything
but appropriate TO man over six feet In
height, and 30 gaunt and sinewy that
he look ed much more like q prairie wOif
than b, ar.
Thesingle lock of coarse hair that
stood out from the old warriors shaver
crown WAS now white as new-fal on
snow but old "a he was, one could see
| by his Ike u, bright eye, and the pan
| ther like MIN bleness Of all his move
ments, that he babe fair to outlive many
younger man yet.
| He spoke not word, but simply
pointed scuthward, and springing into
his saddle rode off, followed by the thret
young men, while sturdy figure will
hair and beard as red as its tatteret
shirt, shouted after Them lusty "Goot
fortune to you, boys!"
Away they went, merrily enough
keeping up q constant talk and laughter
which contrasted very markedly witt
the silence of the old Indian, who wen
Istraight onward without opening hi
lips.
The three sportsmen would gladl.
have put their horses to speed, AM
raced each other all the way but thi
was impossible amid that endless jungl
of tall pvairie gr"ss, dry rs finder fron
the long continued heat, and 30 high
in many places to brush their shoulder
:" No smoking allowed here, bays
said Dick Harrison, with a grin If on
: spark fall among this stuff there woul'
be a bonfire T.
Pooh |" cried Tom Melton,
there we're any danger old Scalptake
, | in front there would have been sure
: let us know. See isn't that our blu
away to the right yonder 1t look
like 1t I"
His two comrades followed his point
= ing finger with their eyes, and behel
"a strange, startling spectacle. Higf
in front OF them, springing up suddenl
: from the endless level OF the prairie
! was the perfect resemblance Of
;, colossal head-the head of An India
= Ichiof.
! The chin Of the colossus seemed to
II resting upon the ground, as II the I'll
ure " ere rising slowly out Of the deptl
of the earth 5ut its mighty face wi
4 turned watchfully towards the eas
30 AZ though 1t were standing
guard against the intrusion of the "pa
faces"
u "Queer looking thing, amt it?" "a
q. Tom Melton, lowering hi, voice to
o. whisper, As Ii fearing to disturb Il
giant. See how old 60
perhide yonder is Frightening up at q
~ sight Of i'll wonder If he expects 1t
" get up and have fight with him !"
Il In truth, Mshtochuga's gloomy IN
10 had lighted up strangely at the fiji
glimpse OF the mighty figure, viii
: doubtless recalled to him many sti
u ling memory of past life. But the m
ny mentary CLEAN Of animation fad
on again lust NJ suddenly.
BY the time they reached the foot
the bluff, the three young sportsmt
II | were as hungry as hawks and thu
q. did full justice to the good things viii
Ut they had brought with them. MAJ
I'm Jokes were made upon the big chic
ess in whose shadow they were feastin
and into whose open mouth DICK Hs
. rison, the wag of the party, proposed
IN fun was at its height, when tn,
1mi rth received sudden and terril
interruption.
OF All the time of their meal Mahtoct
ID ga had seemed strangely restless, sn
II fing the air like q startled sdeer, a
ell turning his head uneasily from side
side. Suddenly he sprang up, ~ II
tho war-whoop of hostile trio
70, and shouted =
/ "He comes, he comes!our tread
aroused him, and his face 10 set G.
way. To horse, pale faces! aai RI
for your livesi"
Overawod by the terrible empha
of the old mans tone and manner,
three young men mounted at on
Though without the least ideawhat '
1.-The matter. But their horses eviden
knew, even ii they did not. Har'
Il wers they in the saddle when II
frightened beasts darted off across
prairie as if chased by wolves.
What could 1t all mean? Look b
as they might, they could 500 moth
TOT part! cular-except, indeed, q tiny
|. Of smoke far III the distance, as If &C
4 giant we're lighting his pipe.
"a Tom Melton was the first OF them
tel. Iguess the hideous truth.
I" You were right, Frank" he gas
TT IhOarsely !" it's life or death with
Ii. lnow. The prairie's on fire I"
All that followed was like an
dream. They were dimly consciou
II scurrying antically through . TO-
Iof tall grass with the hot breath OF
r destroyer coming closer and closer u
| their trail, and glare overhead al
the whole sky were on fire, while
them flew o terrified crowd of VOL
prairie dogs, deer, ravens, vultures,
lass ever and anon q herd OF huge Oh