Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-02-08

my trail. AS 1 IOse i'"s0
caught sight of him about a mile
away, but my observation was so
slyly made that he could not say
had detected him. He had been
concealed in gully about hVe
miles back. | learned afterward
that a half breed who hung ABOUT
the fort had told him that ! would
probably be sent off in that dlrec'
ton, and that he had been en-
camped IN the gully for three days
and watching for me. Black oer'
pent was doing just as had rea'
soned he waiting for night
| intended to make an easy journey
oft by riding about forty miles
and camping for the night lie
| knew this would be the way oil II,
and he had no intention OF at
tackIng me during daylight.
l kept on at the same steady
pace during the afternoon, hating
twice to water my horse. Three
times during the afternoon
got sly peeps at my pursuer, VINO
kept at a respectful distance ana
doubtless chuckled to himself al
the thought of being on my trali
and unsupported. | had to make
what is called a "dry camp" That
is, with no water at hand. There
was scaut herbage for my horse,
hat knew he would not wander
far, and that no Indian living could
stampede him or ride him away. l
knew from the actions of the AMI
NAL as soon as 1 dismounted that
there was another horse near by,
but | built fire and toasted my
meat, and had enough water in my
canteen to make a cup OF coffee.
Black Serpent would not be in a
hurry. When an Indian is trailing
you he likes to enjoy his triumph.
He plays with you as cat does
with a mouse. Ten O'Clock would
be soon enough for him, and l sat
In plain view of my fire smoking
until after nine. Then l smothered
the blaze for five minutes, aud
driung this interval rigged up my
blankets to make a "dummy."-
When I retreated into the dark
ness aud looked back, the hgure
was good enough to deceive any
body. Black Serpent would not
approach on my trail but from ex'
actly the opposite direction, and l
crept away in the darkness until
was fifty feet from the fire.
1t was, as near as / could hgure
it, about an hour when the young
buck came creeping up from the
direction anticipated. I'll give
him credit for passing oyer the
ground as noiselessly as a rabbit
could have moved. He had left
his ritle behind, calculating to use
his knife on me. He was all of
wenty minutes creeping hls last
twenty feet, and l sometimes
doubted if my eyeslght had not
deceived me. He was within six
feet of the dummy before he de-
tected it, and then he sprang high
in the air and uttered his death
whoop, knowing that l was laying
for HIM. He came down in a heap
at the crack OF my rifle, and he
was dead when l got to him. l
KEEP; his entire outfit, sending WORD
to his friends what had happened,
and that ! held myself answerable
to them, but no one troubled me
about it, even to lay claim to any
Of the property.
A year later, when things gen.
orally were more settled, but with
dissatisfied bucks breaking away
from the agency at intervals to
make raids, an Indian quarter
breed stole some things from Fort
Larned, and | run him down and
captured him. He was imprisoned
for several weeks, and some of his
buck friends declared that | should
pay tor the "indignity" with my
life. Il was honorable enough IN
their eyes to steal, bat great in
dignity to pay the penalty OF
thieving. The three bucks whom
I had to fear we're Red Earth,
Cloudy Day and Half Moon. They
drew ratlons at the agency, and
we're supposed to live within the
limits, but as matter Of fact we're
prowling over the country most OF
the time and ripe for any devil'ry'
was then riding between two
posts about eighty miles apart. ]
took two days to 60 and two TO re-
turn, aud then, after a rest of two
days, made the trip again. This
had been the program for two
months, aud the Indians knew II
and could count on my whereabouts
at q certain date. For twenty FIVE
miles of the journey | had stage
road and was sure of company
t For twenty miles further the cOun
y try was fairly safe, there being
/ many hunters, and trapDers, an(
q scouts out. The dangerous par
of the Journey was confined Il
a about twenty-five miles. Th
n route lay along the base of a noun
3. tain--up a valley-Over sharI
a rise, and across several guIches.
i selected the spot where the Indian