The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-26
Sealed Unto Him.
BY JOAQUIN MILLER.
CHAPTER III.
A LOST WOMAN.

uDyoked the patient and weary cattle.
1t hal been nearly dark for long time
That darkest hour which always precedes
day had covered all things for the last few
miles. 1t was only by the aid of the friend
ly Indian, who led the oxen at the head 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 out the long, srong grass,
and had drawn on and over the white shore
of salt, following stealthily, silently, GER
tainly as shadow, had not been seen for
hours And even then it was far in the
rear. The salt and the sand were heavy
and deep. The man at last, even giant as
he was, must have had hard work to move
his barrow here. Surely he had broken down
sickened maybe;-"died, let us hope" whis-
pered one to another of the terrified little
band as they unyoked the tired cattl and
turned them up the banks of the willow
stream, watched 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, found
tht mselves still close to the banks of the
glttering lake. They had travelled in sort
of crescent around an arm on the north end
of the sea. The camp was pleasant one.
The little island with the three trees was
not so very far away. 1t lay almost between
this camp and The one they had left the
night before. The solitary rock, with its
horrid association of a dead b dy in chains,
was suggestively near-loo near. No Que
spoke of this as The light came down and re-
vealed it. Yet all thought of it. The will
lows broadened and the valley widened up
this little riVulei, and the grass was rank
aud abundant. Quail were heard here pip
ing in the dewy grass. A flock of prairie
hens flew overhead and settled down within
near gunshot. But no man thought of rails
ing his gun. The report would possibly
bring the unwelcome guest, the ghoslly
shadow, whom all were hoping, as they pre-
pared their breakfas,, keeping the smoke
subuued, had gone down in the sea of salt.
Onr of The men who were watching the
cat lie declared that he saw wild creature
in the willows. Suddenly, and before it was
yet quite dawn, Nettie Lane, now terrified
and half-nased woman, crept into camp.
What a sight! Woods were the only kind
of protection in which any fugitive might
find shelter the whole region around. Aud
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 life and
that which is more than life to women.
No need of questions Or of answers now.
The dead body and is companions in chains
,wn by the back rock which rose from the
lake by the lillle island, how silently told
the whole errible story. The two mute and
sullen Danites that had galloped past, spoke
to the man by the coffin AID disappeared;
the silent men that followed and sea ched
and searched the rank grass and willows,
and looked iu every direction for some one,
need not open their lips nos. All under
stood the whole terrible tale.
''They had been judged and we're not.''
The tragedy had taken place, or rather
the murders had been committed, on this
very stream, and not far from this ry spot;
as some blood stains little way up the
stream still bore testimony.
Everything, of course, of value had been
taken; "they had been judged and were
not" Their proper was con6scated to
the Church. How the girl had escaped she
hardly knew herself. Aud indeed no one
asked directly. You do not understand?
Well, when you reflect that no one could
trust his neighbor, you will comprehend why
no one spoke above whisper now; and you
will not ne surprised that she was not
pressed to tell her tale. Words ara not the
most eloquent things TO tell story with
any way Even the children huddled togeth-
er in groups as they crept out of the wag-
ons, and understood, and were silent as
Indians.
TIE girl sat down by the water, we'll con-
cealed, and ate soma bread. THIN after a
while, with the help of some plying wont a,
she combed out her loug splendid black hair
and led 1t up with ribbon. She was even
then strangely beautiful.
The men kept cooking up and down the
stream as if half expecting the Daniles to
dash in upon them from Almost any quarter
at almost any moment. A steep high mill
rose abruptly before us. To move ON with
the girl aud 30 escape by sudden fight be"
fore discovered-this was doubtful exper-
iment, and yet some wanted to try it a. all
hazards. 1t seemed that if we could climb
that ridge that rose stseply before us, and
drive straight and steadily ahead till we
came to Green River, We might escape. Any
way we were too terrified to remain here.
Things were packed up, the weary oxen
again yoked, and all was ready for an ad-
vance. "One thing to our advantage, the
old spy is eff the track anyhow" said ;
woman to her husband as she handed hin
his ox-whip.
The man looked at her, crooked hi
thumb just a little down the stream towart
the lake, aud said nothing. There sat th'
singular man compos dy by the side of b..
coffin, quietly reading book as usual, ant
iDunehing morsel of dry bread.
Just when be had come no one knew
Perhaps he had passed the party in III
night by shorter path, known only TO him
self and his Danites.
However, it Nas al-imporant that no on
should seem alarmed at hi presence; an
then what else could lie done? All was mo-
ready for moving on. We could not sto
now without showing fear. AT the last mc
ment the girl, between Two women, an
quite concealed by their shawls, crept int
wagon with party of children. The Ii
tie train stretched itself out and began
start bravely up the hill toward the ives
The leader stopped, threw up hand! An
there on this hill. right across the dim roa!
party of horsemen suddenly drew rein.
"DaniesY'
1t was whispered-this one VOID, and thu
ouly by the women. The train, which hs
not fairly started, vas stopped, the childre
came out of the wagons. The girl eve
came out, and there was no concsalment