Saint Mary's beacon., 1886-07-22

started in exactly an opposite way
However. she said nothing, but laid
herplans.
When light fell. the Indians camp.
ed. one saying. No hurry. um 90 dis
way Mandy agreed. and was soon
seemingly asleep; but in reality, was
listening to every word spoken. The
Indians had no suspicion. and talked
freely. Chief pay big heap for medi.
cine woman; heap many sick was all
that was needed to confirm her
doubts.
She waited until she was SURE they
were asleep, then rose. and crept care
fully to where the ponies were picket
ed. some rods away. Cutting the
iariats she led them as quietly as pos
sibls for a quarter Of mile. Eviden.
tiy they We're used to midnight SER
vice. for they followed without any
trouble.
Mounting the best one, she whipped
them into gallop and soon felt her.
self safe. There was no moon, but the
stars were out in full force, and ira.
yelling was easy. She rode westward
for some miles, and then rode as near
north as she could with'ong the stars
as guides.
Daybreak found her utterly exhaust. =.
ed. She stopped in a cotton wood
grove, picketed her pony, (she had
turned the other two loose long be.
fore) and lay down to rest. She had
no food, but knew it could be easily
procured, as the prairies just swarmed
with chickens and rabbits.
She slept long. and heavily, and
was awakened by the hot sun of noon
day shining on her face. Making the
circuit of the grove she looked over
the Praire as far as she could see. No
one was stirring. With a sigh of
relief she began searching for the nests
of the prairie hens. Soon the rush Of
wings revealed what she wished. She
still had her revolver. and by its aid
kindled fire, and roasted the eggs
in the hot ashes, smiling grimly the
while TO herself, thinking she ought
" ov au auvre IN vsmPn5 ~ sn,s
time.
A small stream ran through the
grove, and giving her pony drink.
she mounted, and again started on.
hoping to get home before Biah start
ed in search Of her.
Night found her still in unknown
country. Only stopping to rest her
pony, she took her bearings by the big
dipper and rode on through the silent
night. A fire OF to the right worried
her, but she Judged it too far east to
trouble her or her folks.
When daylight came, she asceuded
a small rise and looked about her.
Before her for miles lay the burnt dis.
trict, river at the foot of the slope
having turned the fire eastward. She
watched the sun rise, and looked for
some known landmark. AS she gaz-
ed, horror filled her. Surely her
home lay off in that direction not
many miles. Bot for her wide detour;
she must herself have been devoured
by the flames.
Giving the pony only short rest
she plodded on. The poor brute was
nearly spent, but she hoped he would
last a few hours longer. Slowly and
stumtlingly he kept on; but about 10
o'clock he fell. Putting her revolver
to his head, she sent a bullet into his
brain. i couldn't leave the poor
brute to suffer, she muttered, as she
started YEARLY on.
Poor Mandy was nearly spent her
self; and do you blame her for the
momentary wish that she had let
them pesky Injun brats die For to
her skill in sickness, was traceable all
her troubles.
Climbing another rise. hegazed long
and anxiously. 4 know it was her
comment, and she hurried on.
As she gained the top of the next,
she saw. not dozen rods away, q
camp. No mistaking that skinner,
or the span of mules standing de.
iectedly, near. Around small fire
of buffalo chips. she connted, two
three--6ve. persons. With a cry
that sounded strange and upearthly
she started to run; but poor Mandy,
last atom OF strength was gone, and
before she ran a rod she fell, for the
first time in her life insensible.
| Biah-for it was he-heard thai
cry, and looking up saw the figure a
it fell. Grasping his rifle he ran Il
the SPOT.
/ My God. it's Msndyr he cried