The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-10-09
THE MYSTIC SIGN
The King of the
Mountain.
BY ABBIE G. M'KEEVER.
CHAPTER XL
NEW DANGERS AND ENEMIES.

CHAPTER XL
NEW DANGERS AND ENEMIES.
After passing along a sinuous path she
said:
$50 ON, pass between those two larger
trees, and you will see the plains. Not far
is Blue Gulch. Remember your promise.
Good-by"
And she was gone.
Jasper gave one hurried glance around
after her retreating form, then turned to
the spot she had indicated, thankful for his
escape, but sorely puzzled over his strange
friends.
He gained the old mountain trail, he saw
the rolling plains in the distance, but tho
spot upon which he stood was unfamiliar.
He turned and walked swiftly down the
trail. The afternoon sun was fast sinking
behind the mountains when an Indian
stepped from behind tree and confronted
him.
Jasper felt for his revolyers, to remem-
Der, alas! that he was unarmed.
"Ugh!" grunted the red-skin. Cattle
King no brave. Buy all Indians cattle;
keep Indians hunting ground. Indian hate
Cattle King
The red-skin evidently recognized him,
and his hate was felt, as well as expressed.
Before Jasper could think what was best to
do a band of twenty or more leaped out.
Three of their number seized him, bound
him, and, carrying him short distance,
placed him on the back of a pony.
Indians take Cate King home. Indians
hate Cattle King"
And away the whole party dashed; with
er, he could not tell.
Onward the ponies galloped over the
rather uneven ground, taking a northerly
direction.
Jaspers feelings were far from enviable.
He had escaped one captivity for another
of far greater danger He knew the ma
ture of the redskins and how intensely they
hated the white men who had, as they
thought, appropriated their hunting
grounds. He felt satisfied unless he
could make his escape from his present
captors the horrors of torture awaited him.
The fore part of the night had passed ere
they paused for halt, then only stopped
long enough to let their ponies have a few
mouthfuls of grass and drink of water
from the North Platte as they crossed it, 60
ing toward the Indian country. The jour
ney begun again and continued at intervals
of short rest for two days longer, when be-
tween two mountains in q fertile valley,
through which flowed small stream, they
beheld an Indian village.
The young cattle king was Almost ex-
hausted with the long journey and short
rations allowed him.
His situation was anything but cheerful.
He was dragged along into the very heart
of the enemy's land, the bonds which had
been partially loosed were firmly drawn
again, and he was thrust into small tent
in the center of the village. For wonder
the tent was empty. Jasper felt certain
his time for torture had not yet arrived,
for with sentinel stationed at his door
the Indians wandered off and lounged
on the green sward, the most of them ap-
parently going 10 sleep.
Jasper himself dozed a little, notwith-
standing his great anxiety and his deter
mination to escape, even if it ended in his
recapture or death-for that would be the
end anyway if he remained in the red
skins power. Though unarmed and bound,
he hoped for something to take place that
would be in his favor. Hope was one of
the strong points of his nature.
Toward noon an old squaw came in where
he lay bound, and, cutting the thongs bind
ing his arms, ordered him to eat the dirty
looking mess she brought.
He stretched out his aching arms, and
found it almost impossible TO comply for q
few minutes, they were so cramped.
White dog eatl" said the squaw, an
grily.
oh said Jasper, you can talk English.
Why was l taken captive and brought to
your village? | thought you had signed
the treaty of peace"
Ugh" grunted the squaw. Cattle King
take all our lands, kill game. Cattle King
must die.
"How soon?"
when other braves return from the
south country. Then Cattle King dies"
when will that be-"
"Come soon. Cattle King no have to
wait long, continued the old squaw, as il
delighting in imparting her information.
But Jasper was indeed glad of a re-
prieye. The old squaw departed, and fol
wonder he was left unbound, the Indians
probably thinking it impossible for him te
leave their village unperceived, or escape
from the strange country to which they
had carried him.
I'm worth half a dozen dead men vet,
he thought, peering from his tent.
Near its door sat stalwart red-skin
smoking his pipe complacently. They had
no intention of leaving him unguarded, fol
not far off a half dozen others lolled on the
ground.
NO chance whatever in the DAYTIME, but
TO might | must get of. | dare not delay
longer.
Then he sat down on the sandy floor anG
laid his plans for future action.
The country that he caught sight OF
through the rents in his tent was of very
picturesque nature.
Blue mountains in thc west, snow capped
green valleys and towering hills near, with
the muFmur of gurgling stream not far
of.
The day dragged on. The Indians
smoked and lolled about. Dogs barked
but at last nightfall came with its dusky
shadows. Fires were kindled here and
there, and the old squaw returned with he1
bowl Of vile mixture.
When she turned to depart it was the
moment for which Jasper had looked Sc
long. tie knew the sentinel still fingered
near, but now or never was his chance
tie had been nearly all the afternoon
patiently fashioning a sand club: he had
formed Ii out of his coat sleeve. and when
the old squaws back was turned he struck
her heavy blow that he hoped would only
stun her.
She sank to the ground without one
sound. He then securely tied his bandke,.
chief over her mouth, bound her hands and
feet. snatched off her shawl and ragged
skirt and put them on his own person
not forgetting the knife she carried-and
STOPPING, his tall figure emerged from the
tent.
The Indian guard gave him one glance
as he passed, but said nothing. In the
heavy gloom he had supposed it TO be the
squaw.
Jasper avoided the fires and the red-skins
scattered about. A dog in tent he passed
rushed angrily toward him.
He dropped the bowl he carried, seized
the snarling brute by the back of its neck