Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-12

best with the rifle.
Early that morning they had left the
settlement in which they made their
home for days hunt in the forest
Nothing out Of the usual course OF
events occurred to them until about
ten o clock. when they struck a fresh
Indian trail.
OF this they wonld have thought
little had not . closer scrutiny re-
vealed to them that the redskins had
not passed that way alone. Mingled
with their footprints were those OF
their own race. And this was not ALL
The captives. as they must surely be.
were women.
They were dumfounded. rs this trutl,
came home to them. and for . few
minutes they gazed into each other 5
face. mutely asking the question that
came to the mind Of each: Who were
the captivcs. and from what settlement
had they been stolen! Neither could
answer by word or look. Of only one
thing were they assured. They could
not come from their settlement. for
all had been right there when they had
left that morning Luke had been the
first to speak.
THE redskins are up to their old
tricks again. Somebody is in trouble.
We must help them II we can"
OF course we must said Sam.
''They must be rescued at all h azards.
From the looks OF the trail. it can not
have been long since they passed this
way"
mo; and now let Us follow it."
agreed" was the answer. and the
reader has seen the progress thoy
made thus far.
Little time was lost after they had
decided upon the way by which they
would return to the other side of the
thicket. They had been in that locality
several times and knew that between
the thicket they had penetrated and
the rocks before mentioned there was
a narrow strip of firm. level land. with
here and there bowlder which had
rolled from the overhangin g cliffs
upon II. Along this they had little
doubt the redskins had passed instead
Of forcing their way through the
thicket as they had at first supposed.
Chagrined Mt the thought of the
time they had thrown away. and what
might have happened to the captives
during the time they had lost they
hurried through the forest with feet
footsteps Only now and then did
they pause to give rapid glance to
any thing which might have the ap-
pearance Of trail. They saw MOTH
ing to indicate that the savagcs had
passed that way, and therefore felt
that they must be somewhere before
them.
Nearly two-thirds of tho distance
had been gone over when Luke. who
was a short distance ahead. paused
and motioned for his companion to
come up.
''What is it. Samp'' said the latter,
coming to his side.
'.Looki Here is trail freshly made.
And see; it is the same one We started
to follow. Here are the footprints of
the women and the redskins mingled
together"
(Which way does it lead:''
up yonder among the rocks. II I
am not mistaken. See; here is where
it turns in that direction. I can not
understand why they should Chamber
up yonder. Tits not the way of red
skin to do that when IN easier way is
to he found"
Il can't imagine why they should
either. Perhaps the women they have
: with them are tired out and have got
to rest though. if that is the case. /
do not see why they have not sent a
tomahawk through their brains II
they care to spare them they would
hardly camp here for fear they might
be surprised by party who might be
in pursuit Up yonder among the
rocks there are plenty of hiding places
without a doubt. and where they could
defend themselves against score OF
whites"
''You must 10 right. Without doubt
they have sought hiding-p place up
yonder. and we must do our best to
find 1t before the light is gone. We
shall have harder job to do it than
we have been having. for the trail
they have left behind will be very short
indeed"
1T can't be mu CHI harder than it
was in the thicket. and the way we
got led astray then don't speak cry
well for our skill on the trail"
You are right there. but let us
lose no more time here. At anv
rate the trail is PLAIN enough here for
any one 10 follow"
For y quarter of a mile or so our
friends went on, over comparatively
level ground. following the trail casi-
ly;then they wound in and out among
the powders which ut somc time had
rolled down from the cliffs, and then
there was nothing but steep. bare
~Aol.S hnf