Evening journal., 1891-11-11

to creep over her, and for moment she |
came near fainting again. She was a |
captive in the hands of the bloodthirsty |
redskins.
But where was her companion, Jackson
Blake? She asked herself the question, |
and then shuddered with horror as an an
swer arose in her mind. He had been muir |
deredl As she looked upon the sleeping |
forms, she half expected 70 see Jackson |
Blakes scalp attached to a savage's girdle. |
But although no sight met her gaze, she |
still felt sure that her companion had been
slain.
BY the faring light Of the camp FIRE she
saw that beneath the rude rawhide thongs
that held her wrists together a silk hand
kerchef had been placed, evidently to keep
the bands from cutting and chafing her
| tender flesh. The handkerchief, she
| thought, had been taken from the body OF
her companion, but such care for her feel
| ings upon the part Of a red man was a
| great surprise
| The Indians were all sleeping soundly,
evidently little fearing the approach of
| foes, or the escape Of their captive Edna
struggled to break her bonds, but one at
tempt was sufficient, for it showed her
| that such a thing was impossible. Then
she thought that she might arise and steal
4
/ was fastened around her waist and at
tached to the wrist Of an Indian near by.
As she lay there, trying to think Of some
/ means Of escape, she fancied she heard
faint sound in the darkness near at hand.
| She strained her eyes in that direction, but
| for a time could see nothing.
The fire sank lower, till a dull red glow
given out by the embers was about all the
light visible. Then near at hand, she
heard a warning hiss and among the other
| shadows, seeming one Of them, she saw
1 what appeared to be human form. The
next moment the dark form slowly and
| silently advanced.
With her heart pounding heavily in her
breast, Edna watched this shadow. With
out the least noise it drew near. Finally
the trembling, excited girl was enabled to
make out that it was a white man.
Without disturbing the sleeping Indians,
the daring intruder reached the captive's
side. The duh light from the embers
flashed upon the barred blade of a knife.
The next moment che girls bonds were
severed.
In her ear the stranger breathed the very
softest of whispers, enioining the greatest
caution. Then he lifted her to her feet.
She would have fed from the spot, but he
detained her.
Cautiously they crept away, and with
out disturbing an Indian reached the shad-
ows that lay just beyond the gradually
diminishing circle of light. In another
moment they were Fastening away through
the eottonwoods.
Suddenly the sound OF voices near at
hand arrested their fleeing footsteps. The
unknown rescuer quickly sank to the
ground, drawing the girl down with him.
They were near the edge of the timber, and
a short distance away they could see a dark
form family outlined against the sky. The
| man was speaking, and evidently others
were sitting on the ground near at hand
listening.
We've got the girl in our hands. Tho
rest win be easy. We win drop on the
train and wipe it out. Then will turn up
and pretend to rescue the girl from the
} reds. She will never suspect me, and will
naturally look upon me as a hero. OF
course she will fall in love with me, hav-
ing no other friend and protector. Thus
shall win the only woman ! ever loved
J and / loved her at first sight--without let
ting her become aware OF the disagreeablg
fact that am Black Jack. the outlaw. Eh
boysgn
), Good plan, Cap, and under your man
n agement it can't fail to work. 2 observed al
!, | unseen speaker.
K Then while the outlaws were talking ant
J. | planning the rescued girl and her rescue
9 crept away.
Edna had recognized the voice Of the frs
Q speaker, and was nearly stricken helpless
by amazement and horror. Jackson Blak
d had not been killed. He was alive and un
y harmed, and not only that, but he was al
outlaw-a false. black hearted traitor
& While apparently attempting to escap
ie from the Indians he had carried her int
'e their very midst,
le Nearly half a mile away, in the midst {
some thick cottonwoods, horse wa
ie hitched His feet were mufiied, so thi
ye even if driven at full gallop they woul
rt give ont little sound.
The escaped captive and her rescuer ha
pc reached the place where the animal WI
n hitched, when a long drawn yell can
through the night from the Indian cam
ne Immediately a wild chorus Of similar cri
followed the first.
ve The man laughed as he deftly unhitch'
If the horse.
We ''Hear them howl" he muttered.
reckon they have just missed something
er Il was near sunrise when double bu
dened horse entered an emigrant can
nd many miles from the scene of rescue. Wi
ar. cries OF iov burst from the emigrants' Ii
ia. as they recognized Edna Fenton as one
the persons mounted upon the hor
on Howard Fenton nearly swooned from j
ere when he once more held his daughter So
in his arms.
nd No need to tell Of his grief-of the sbet
less night he had spent-of how he W
NJ only prevented from going in search Of
lrk lost daughter by the guide promising to
rk- with him in the morning. No need TO
the Of these things; they were written on
haggard face.
the The old weatherheaten guide came I
AXE ward.
"Why, hullol Durn my eyesw he
lrst claimed, as his gaze rested on Edna's !
nd, cuer "No-'tain't-yes, It's Nebraska \
X" l swarn
lied The next moment the old guide i
less handsome young plainsman and Sc
neir clasped hands
girl "Hyar, folkes, y cried the guide, as 81
the as he could make himself heard. Let
essI nterjuce We to Nebraska Nat the dingd
whitest boy this side o. ther Mississippi
"And my brave rescuer,n said Edna (
lis ton, a warm blush suffusing her beaut
med face.
vote But why describe anything furtherf
was reader can imagine what followed.
Suffice it to say that from this time
the they reached their destination the I
For. grants were constantly on their gu
One night they were attacked, but suce
thatl ed in repulsing the foe. As the Ind
..At 1 ratraafa1 thax aarrfad uNuaxr their dead