Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-23


Follows and Finds His victim-rhs
Camp fires Deadly Evidence.
"Hist"
A single Indian has been following the
right hand bank Of the Dio Pecos river
where it trends TO tie anglo Of the Chico
mountains. New Mc=lco
Fort Sumner is 60 miles to the south,
Santa 70 100 to the north. 1t il wild,
weird country. with tho staked plains
sweeping right mp TO the water of the
Pecos from tho cast. and the country ia
the west is forest. ravine. valley and
desolaton.
in dip Of the earth. and still further
shielded by great powders, tho Indian
has found few charred sticks and a
handful Of ashes--relics of q camp fire.
He springs to tho cover Of n rock, and
for quarter Of IN hour nothing is seen
Or heard Of him. Instinct taught him
that-the eamo instinct that any wild
animal has. Cy and by he carefully
rises into view and steps forward to ex-
amino the ashes.
"Ughr'
1t rained three days before. The ashes
are dry. The black sticks preserve their
gloss. A twig broken from II bush is
still bleeding. A bone in the ashes is
broken 10 get ct tho marrow. This is
Wednesday, and the hour il 10 o'clock
in the forenoon. That Gro was built
Monday noon. Tho printa OF u loot heel
are numerous. 1t was white man.
The prints are exactly 0lil;o. There was
but one man-scort, huntcr or pros
pector. lie was heading up the stream.
"Ugh!"
ON TUE TRAIL.
Everything is clear to the Indian in
FIVE minutes, and he picks up the trail.
1t is forty-six hours since that FIRE was
ighted-at least forty-four since the
white man left it behind. That is an
old trail, but here is human blood
hound. Nature has made him 10 endure
heat, cold and fatigue as if he were an
animal. He has the cunning of fox,
the ferocity of panther and vindic-
tive persistency which nothing but death
can discourage.
There is no trail-nothing which the
keenest dog could follow. But the In
dian glides forward like shadow, look
ing only ut the lay OF tho ground. A
man who travels without fear takes the
easiest road. A man who is not pursued
travels slowly. To the right-to the left
over rocks-acrossr ills-up midtown
hill-never tagging, no matter what the
distractions. and ct the end Of three
hours he turns sharply to the left, pene-
trates the cedars for a few yards and
comes to a halt before another camp fire
A branch among the ashes gives out
a faint smoke. The ashes are still warm.
The fire was built Monday night, and
over its flame the white man cooked his
Tuesday breakfast. This is Wednesday
at o'clock. The white man has been
moving slowly.
Half an hour for rest and q bite to
eat and the Indian moves forward again.
Here and there as he lies along he .ees
a broken branch-the moss torn from a
rock-the leaves disturbed-plentv OF
signs that some one has passed that way.
The scent is too old fer Dloodhound
neither panther nor wolf could zeal the
signs In three hours he has reached
another camp fire. 1t was built near II
spring bubbliny out Of the rocks, and
water was thrown Oh the flames to
quench them.
1t was not thoroughly done, however
Fire clinys to several sticks. anl the
earth under the ashes Is warm. The fire
was built Tuesday night The white
man left it about o'clock this (Wednes-
day. morning. 1t is now O'Clock p. IN
He is only eight hours ahead, and there
are still three hours of daylight.
TIE VICTIM.
Has he Travelled fast or leisurely? Is
he dozen miles away or only three or
four? The question is answered before
the Indian has pursued the trail half
mile. The white man has stopped to
break OF piece Of rock with his ham
mer. He is prospcctor. lie goes up
this ravine half mile and returns. He
leaps this creek 10 e2anino the face Of
the cliff--passes an hour or nor in.
specting tn, Sand and gravel in the bed
Of the creek. 1t is q locality OF promise.
There is no hurry.
"Ughr'
II is twilight in tho forcst-night In
the canyons and gorges The Indian has
no trail TO follow. but therei an Instinct
which leads him on. lie knows he is
close on the quarry. he moves swiftly
but stealthily. There are rocks and
bushes and limbs and vines and pitfalls,
but ne seems to see them in tie darkness
as well as in the light. The flame Of a
camp fire has caught his eye.
A man clothed in the coarse garments
Of miner sits with his back to a rock.
On the fire at his feet his meat i, toast
ing and his coffee is boiling. The silence
about him is that of the grave. His sur
arc powders, cliffs, lodges,
ravines, trees. IL is q wild, weird spot.
Nature was in vindictive mood when
she made it. One sitting here alone at
high noon woull feel chill Of lonel-
ness. The man looks into the Gre. For
q moment his thoughts are elsewhere.
OF sudden that mysterious something,
that current which passes between life
and death, electrifes him, and with his
gaze riveted into the darkness beyond
4 a. L. IL