The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-02-07
The CRY IN THE DARK.
1t Awoks the sleeping Camp to the Pres'
encs OF Danger.

] Not an Indian had been seen all the
afternoon - no signs had been mel
with.
The ride had led over ground SO
sterile that even sage brush could jot
grow there--across dry ravines--over
ont-crop of hinty rock--from one ridge
to another, until ut last we camc to the
Loup river aud went into camp IN n
scattered grove. No sign Of Indian
there. AS the setting sun flooded the
earth with its golden light we could
sec for miles aud miles In every direc-
/ ton. No sign Of danger.
! Night comes down as softly as a
child closes its eyes in sleep. and the
! light breeze from the north brings q
film of white cloud to hide u portion OF
the stars. A sentinel is posted on the
bank of the stream, second to the
east. a third to the west. 1t seems
almost absurd to take these precau-
/ tions. The crickcts sing under the
stones, field mice run about in the
grass. the waters of tho Loup sing a
peaceful song as they flow past our
camp.
No Indians-no signs. 1t is such
calm. quiet nights rs this which have
lullcd the tired emigrant to his last
sleep on earth. Seeing no Indians, he
has argued that none were lurking and
watching. We who have fought tho
red man from Fort Kearncy TO the
source of the Powder river know him
better. Tho very absence of his foot
prints is II menace. The quietness OF
the night is n warning to be needed.
At 10 o'clock everybody but tho
sentincs is fast asleep. Some of the
horses are lying at full length. so buried
in slumber that their heavy breathing
can be heard for yards away. AT IL
o'clock all is quiet. Even the crickcts
have almost given DER their noise.
Fleecy clouds now cover the whole
heavens, making the night no darker,
but more uncertain. AS the eye looks
of over the level plain the shadows
take on different shape and have more
life.
Midnight! The three sentinels soft
w enter camp-bend over the sleepers.
and five minutes later the guard has
been changed. Those who slept are
now as watchful as foxes; those who
watched are in the land of dreams.
Half-past II o'clock! No sound now
but the purling waters, and their mono.
tony would close the eyes of sentinel
who listened long.
One o'clock! Now there is the quiet.
ness of graveyard. Men and horses
seem to be dead The sentinel to tho
east gives sudden start. He would
deny it on his oath, but for an instant
he slept. He shakes himself and looks
over the camp. All is peace, but he
has received u shock which makes his
heart beat faster. His stand is at the
foot of cottonwood. He sinks down
on his knees and peers ont from either
side of the trunk. Nothing in sight
nothing but the dark shadows cast by
the clouds.
''Chirp. Chirp! Chirp!"
A cricket begins his song again after
a long silence. 1t seems loud enough
to awaken every sleeper, but it is not.
1t is very low and quiet. 1t reaches
the ear of only one sentinel.
'.Watehl Watch! Watch!"
His heart leaps to his mouth. The
words came to him rs plain rs il
spoken by some human being. Watch
what? Watch where? Watch for
who?
',Watcht Watch! Watchw
The sentiners eyes fell upon dark
spot on the grass 100 feet away. 1t is
the shadow Of cloud. The danger
spot ia the center is rock lifting its
head out of the earth. He noticed 1t
before the darkness came. He can see
nothing moving there is no danger.
Look! Lookl I.ook!
his heart jumps again and his eyes
20 back to the dark spot. They cling
there for two or ihrce minutes. during
which time the cricket is absolutely
silent. Did something moveP Is tho
black spot nearer than it was?
Creeping! Crawling! ComingI"
So shouts the cricket, and now the
sentinel is sure that the dark spot has
advanced. OF course it has! 1t has
also changed the Inc of its advance.
With bated breath he waits and watch
es. The man who distnrbs camp with
out good cause will be tainted with
cowardice. All! it does novel The
black spot is mot now over fifty feet
away.
Shoot. Shoot ShoOtr,
The sentinel softly pulls back the
hammer of his heavy carbine. raises
the weapon qnietly to his shoulder, and
the loud report is followed by cry SO
longdrawn. SO wild and wierd and full
Of death that no one forgets it for a
month. There is wild confusion in a
moment. and then everybody is ready.
What is itp"
Three or four men advance to the
dark spot to find the body of an Indian
stretched mt full length on the earth,
shot through the breast. Eighty rods
away are half hundred fierce warri-
ors, waiting In the darkness for the spy
10 return and report. At the sound OF
his death-cry they mount their ponies
und ride away Detroit Free Press