The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-26

nIs wagcn with a pcrpetuai ana stralning
vigilance, and Il was even with unconcern
that lwhen ho saw by the stars his time was
mi he drew near the fire 20 waken his success
sor This man ut was Hicks, the shoemaker
slept on the lee side Of the circle. somewhat
further on in consequence than those 70 wind
ward, and In place darkened by the blow
ing smoke Mountain stopped and took him
by the shoulder, his hand was at once smeared
by some adhesive wetness, and the wind at
the moment veeringi the freight shone upon
the sleeper and showed him, like Pinkerton,
dead and scalpod
Il was clear they had fallen in the hands Of
one Of those matchless Indian braves, that
will sometimes follow a party for days, and
in spite Of indefatigablc travel aud unsloep-
ing watch. continue 20 keep up with their adj
vance and steal a scalp at every resting place
Upon this discovery, the treasure seekers,
already reduced to a poor half Dozen fell into
mere dismay, seized a few necessaries and,
dcserting the remainder Of their goods, fed
OUTRIGHT into the forest Their fire they left
stiil burning. and their dead comrade TN.
buried. All day they ceased not 70 flee, eat
ing by the way. from hand to mouth and
since they feared TO sleep, continued to adj
vance 40 random even in the hours Of dark
ness. But tho limit Of mans endurance is
soon reached, when they rested at last il was
to sleep profoundly and when they woke, 1t
was 70 find that the enemy was stil upon
their heels, aud death and mutilation had
once more lcss,ned and deformed their com.
pany.
BY this they had become light headed. they
had quite missed their path In the Eilder-
mess. their stores were already running low.
with the further horrors, it is superiluous
that / should swell this narrative, already
too prolonged. Suffice it to say that when
at length a night passed by innocuous, and
they might breathe again In tho hope that
the murderer had at last dcsisted from pur-
suit, Mountain and Secundra were alone
Tho trader is firmly persuaded their unseen
enemy was some warrior Of his own acquaint-
ance, and that he himself was spared by
favor. The mercy extended 10 Secundra he
explains on the ground that the East Indian
was thought 10 be insane, partly from the
fact that, through all the horrors Of the
flight, and while others were casting away
their very food and weapons, Secundra con-
tinued to staggcr forward with mattock on
his shoulder; and partly because, in the last
days, and with a great degree Of heat and
nuoncy, he perpetually spoke with himself in
his own language But be was sane enough
when 10 came 20 English.
"You think he will be gone quite awayr
be asked, upon their blessed awakening in
safety.
81 pray God so, believe so, dare to be-
lievo SO" Mountain had replied almost with
indifference as be described the scene 10 me.
And indeed he was so much distempered
that, until he met rs the next morning, be
could scarce be certain whether he had
dreamed, or whether it was a fact, that Sc
cundra had thereupon turned directly about
and returned without word upon their foot
prints, setting his face for these wintery and
hungry solitudes, along a path whose every
Stage ~ milestonel with a mutilated corpse