The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1890-05-16

a lOE IAOot- 1AHl lut uGh'
few from wagon to wagon, the child wa'
gone and no one had seen her all day.
Miss Reed remembered seeing her run
ming among the sunfowers at breakfast
time.
CANT nobody going for herl" cried
Janet, in agony. She ran to each wagon,
to be met with the same answer: at
cannot be done"
'You see, Janet, y said Chase, sob in
his voice, there's fifty women an chill
dren here an only thirty men to guard
EN-; there may be hundreds of Injuns out
there. We daren't leave camp or they'll
know it, an we've searched all the plains
with a glass an there's no sign Of
her"
''But ter-morrer-" choked Janet.
'She'll not be a-wanderin', missy
don't arsk me to tell ye, but there's In
juns an persrie wolves"
ave must only tell her father she
died-never the whole truth, " said Miss
Reed, coming to the wagon for her rub
bers, which she wore on the dryest
nights.
Chase walked away and sat down by the
fire. ''No, don't talk no more, Janet, P"
as the child went to him, sit aren't no
use. I'm the only old Injun fighter in
camp. I've growed gray at it. I've got
ter take the lead"
Janet went quickly to her wagon. By
the light of Pickering candle she
printed. in a round, childish hand, on a
bit of paper, these few words:
''Mr. Chase, 1 am goin' to find Rose an
take Nance. amt no good in fightin' Injuns,
an | heard you say my folks was dead.
Don't you come for me cause they need you.
They don't me that is only Maverick
JANET"
She pinned this note to his blanket,
then went softly out in the starlight to
the corner where Nance stood. Fear
lessly she blanketed the animal, fastened
the surcingle, then led her quietly out to
an open space between two wagons.
She looked back at the dying camp
fires, the groups of men sleeping in the
light of them, their guns by their sides,
the silhouettes of the women against the
wagon curtains, Miss Reeds prim and
queer with the funny curls. How safe
it was here, how lonely and dreadful
outside She climbed on the pony and
turned her head toward the east; the
animal, thinking of her home, struck into
a run. The seminal saw Nance disap-
pear in the darkness, but did not note
the little rider.
"That emery gray pony as amt been
worked all the way hey got loose an
gone, he said to the crowd of excited
men who ran out at the noise.
Every unusual rafting of gravel under
Nance's hoofs quickened the beating of
Janet's heart; every dark object was TO
her beast of prey; every sound, the
coming of the red men. She thought of
the old-time stories of Indian warfare
and cruelty her grandmother had told
her; of the horrors of the plains the men
spoke of by the camp-hres.
''But I'm the only one in all that train
as hasn't anybody to care for me-" she
said, bravely. There was only me to
be spared. >"
When the moon rose it showed her no
living object on the great plains. The
camp was far out of vision, and not even
a spark from its fires glimmered on the
still air. Absolute quiet and solitude;
the world seemed asleep.
At the top of little rise in the road
Janet halted to rest her tired horse, and
once more to look around the lonely
land. The quivering of Nance startled
afg AVE- aRa fs aG ef9 snsl saw slse
There in the moonlit road stood baby
Rose, her yellow curls dishevelled, her
lace tear-stained and dirty, her gown
.orn, her little feet bare and bleeding.
She still chung to her flowers that had led
ler astray long hours before.
Near the child lean gray wolf sat on
lis launches, regarding her with pro
'ound and melancholy stare.
At the sight of the pony the wolf gave
/ weird howl, turned and trotted swiftly
icross the plains. The child, with a wild |
,ry, ran forward.
~ knew you'd tum, jamie. I lost all |
lay an hungy an the doggie coined an
inged. 1 had doggie once, Bounce,
where mamma was. Oh, want my
Janet held her close, kissed her tears
way, and then she gave her the food she
lad brought-her own supper. She
fitted her to the pony's back, led Nance
o some low hills that might give them
Aelter, and there waited for daylight.
II never knew nights was so long be-
ORE" sighed Janet, holding Rose in her
rms. ''Nance is laid down an asleep.
)nly me awake, an I must keep watch
or wolves an Injuns. Now the moons
DIN, too, an it gets lonesomer. I'll
ay all the hymns 1 know to keep me
wake an brave"
Try as she would her head would
roop, the words grow confused and
reary. As the moon sank and the chill
increased, the shivering child covered
lose with her own SKIRT, and then to
eep warm and awake walked up and
own beside her.
What was it, that low, trampling
ound, coming louder and nearer so fast2
anet caught up Rose and ran back to the
i'll; the horse followed, trembling in
very limb. Just beyond the hill in
irious gallop came a mass of horses, and
imly amid the fog of dust about them
inet saw the forms of their Indian
ders.
"Joe said Injuns was wuss'n wolvesl"
'bbed Janet "Dear Lord, let them go
! an not find us"
The Indians passed on their path,
arked by clouds of sand that helped
e darkness mercifully to hide the chill
rem.
..They're gonel" cried Janet; but
lrdly were the words uttered when
ere came another louder trampling, the
ick of arms against saddles, and more
,rses-hundreds of them it seemed to
Ipet-and then, bringing joy to her
art. an American voice calling: "For-
ard !" as the cavalrymen pressed on af-
r the Indians.
The danger having passed, the tired
lid fell asleep with Rose in her arms.
hen she woke it was bright sunlight.
er dazed eyes saw Nance feeding near
Fase running toward her, and an oldish
th.a gray heard and bronzed | S