Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-13

s%@1 peaks, stood grandly
against the sky; ant
through the Royal Gorge which parts the
mighty mountains the Arkansas rive
swept eastward, past sand bars, shelving
banks, and bordering groves of cottonwood
In the fresh air, infused with the gladnes
of flowers and verdure and song of birds, i
was fitting, where nothing should seem t.
pine or NOPE, to see the motion and free
dom embodied in Harry Marwood on hi.
mettlesome pony, ChiquIta-
The boy was looking up stray cattle along
the valley, and his search had carried him
seven or eight miles away from his fathers
ranch house up the river. Not far below
him was Bottomley's place, which the big
Englishman had settled upon the autumn
before and there lived, with his wife and
numerous children, as unconcernedly as II
the hostile Kiowas were not liable at any
time to swoop along the valley to massacre
and plunder. The parents Harry had met
that morning on their way to Fort Lyon In
q wagon, with FIVE children, which implied
that three of their offspring had been left at
home. As the boy moved through the cot
tonwood groves in the direction of the
adobe cabin he expected at any moment to
see the yellow heads and tattered garments
of the small Bottomleys, whom he usually
found lodging about at play in the bushes.
No children appeared to him there to-day,
but, looking through the trees upon the
plain, he saw a wild and picturesque sight
Twelve or fifteen mounted Indians a mile
away were riding at full speed along the
valleys slope toward the crest Each rider
Sat his steed light and supple, exciting the
bounding horse BY the movement of his
body; there was fash of lances, the sheen
of gaudy blankets, the streaming tails Of
war bonnets, and the CLINT of silver orpa-
ments on wrist and arm.
"kiowasr' exclaimed the boy, gras ping
his rifle hard and giving quick glance
around to detect if danger be about him
then sat motionless, watching the wild pro-
cession as it wound up over the ridge. Be-
fore it disappeared his eve, trained to far
sight like hawks had seen that three of
che warriors held each something before
him upon his horse; and f1utter of blue
from one of the objects thus borne along
was Of the same tint as fragment Of calico
hanging upon q thorn bush by his side,
tribute from the frock of Araminta, the G.
yesr-old daughter of the Bottomley house
hold His look grew dark and anxious at
the certainty thus borne to him that the
Kiowas had swooped upon the ranch and
carried away the children.
Ills first thought for their rescue was to
ride TO his fathers place with the alarm and
thence bear the news onward to Fort Lyon.
A cavalry party would, of course, be
promptly sent out to follow the Indian
band, but what valuable time would be
lost, and how hopeless, with the disadvant-
age OF the coming night, would be such
pursuit 1t would be madness to attempt
to save them by b mself, but following his
impulse he puts spurs to ChiQuita and
dashed after the Indians.
ITS q hard and hopeless case," he re-
fected There's almost no chance that
the troops can ever overtake 'em with the
start they have. But I'll keep 'em in sight
long enough to make certain what way they
take, and then ride for the fort" +"
From the summit of the valley slope he
saw them speeding northeasterly over the
rolling prairie, skilfully keeping much out
Of sight in a treeless country by threading
in and out of the hollows, making quick
dashes across open spaces, and avoiding
snmmits which would bring them into view
against the skyline. The frontier boy,
marking their course, chose his route in
the same manner, keeping wary eye about
him lest detecting MS pursuit, they should
have laid for him in ambuscade.
Skirting the base of a bluff he stopped
suddenly at the sight of steel-gray horse
standing soberly at the bottom. Its equip
ment were those of q white mans steed,
snd looking around for the rider he pres
emily saw just back of the crest, lying SO
close to tine ground that it seemed q part of
ii, long motionless figure which he recog-
nized as that of an old friend Presently
this lonely watcher, who evidently had
been regarding the Indians movements,
crawled backward from the summit. rose,
and turning, Cray, the hunter, with long
rifle in hand, strode down the hill toward
the bov. He showed no surprise on seeing
him, but motioning with his hand the direc-
tions that the Indians had taken, said:
'fThose red devils are carryin' off some
children"
They're Bottomley's poor little tow
heads" returned Harry, sorrowfully.
so I reckoned," said the hunter 'T
knowed twas bound to happen, settlin'
" har he did, right in thar path. It's hard
luck all the same. It'll take heap O. time
afore the soldiers kin git rounded up an
arter 'em; and the wust is, if the bluecoats
should happen to press 'em close they IL kill
the young 'uns dead sure"
Harry said not a word, but his fingers
played restieSsly with the hammer OF his
rife.
"Thar's only one show to git the chill
dren," continued the hunter "They won't
watch 'em so close as they would grown
folks II we could catch the redskins in
camp an stampede 'em right sudden, thar'd
be a bar chance to get away with the
young uns afore they could harm 'em. It's
risky an desprit, with fight to make any
way, an big show to lose our scalps But
If you We a mind for the undertaken we'll
try it.
''Try it, of course we will," said Harry.
LEAD off m with you to the end
The fust thing" said the hunter, lis to
keep fur back along their ira il till sun
iown. They may ride all night, or they |
nav go into camp soon arter dusk. If we
,ome up with 'em well shape our doin's !
cordin' as we find things"
The hunter swung into his saddle, and |
he Two companions followed the Indians, |
VINO had passed out of sight They pushed |
orward rapidly but cautiously. From |
ime to time one of them dismounted and |
3rawled to the summit of a ridge to see that |
he country was clear before they went |
ahead. The need of this precaution was
shown when Cray riding in advance sud |
ieuly checked his horse and, bending low
n the saddle, motioned to Harry to come !
N carefully. Peering through the spikes