Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-09-07

TO no purpose. MOI an answering CITY
rewarded their efforts. From Ellis de-
scription Brewster knew that the ladies
were so muffied in furs that within their
canvas shelter they could hardly suffer
greatly from the cold. He was assured
that the driver and Pete were with them,
also well provided with robes and blank
cts. and that they were in no immediate
danger of freezing; but he could not
bear the thought of the long, weary
waiting, the dread anxiety, the dark
ness. the isolation in all that bowling
wilderness. He could picture Winifred
nestled in her mothers arms, wonder
| ing, wondering, as the hours dragged
by. when. if ever, human aid would
come to their relief. At four o'clock
he and his party had searched and
scented for half dozen miles up and
down tue valley. Some Of his best and
stanchest men We're giving ont, and
these. with Sergeant Brooks, he ordered
to push along with the gale and seek
news and shelter at the station.
Three others he posted near the main
crossing of the Wolf, under the lee of
little bluff. where they aud their horses
speedily stamped hole in the snow
drifts around the hospital ambulance
aud huddled for warinth--fres they
could not light. even had there been n
vestige of fuel-and then, with three I'M
daunted campaigners ut his back, he
had once again turned down stream, fol-
lowing its wanderings in the darkness
and feeling for ravines he could not see
along the southern bank. Time and
again they dismounted and ran beside
their horses to restore circulation 10 the
numbed and stiffened fee. and fingers.
Time and again they plunged waist
deep into drifts and the horses founder
ed to their girths in the powdery snow.
At last Brewster noted that here and
there far in the northwestern skies the
stars were beginning to peep; the clouds
were driving away, the dawn was nigh,
the hurricane abating. Broader and
brighter the daylight stole over the
storm swept prairie, streaked here and
there with fleecy. winding veins. and
when at last the snn arose in its nm.
clouded splendor the gale had died away
to mere ghost of its furious self. and
they rubbed the icy fringe from their
battered eyelids and gazed long and
wistfully up and down that shallow.
winding valley, all heaped and tumbled
with the driven snow. and saw not
sign of those whom they had rushed to
save.
Never for an instant did Brewster re-
lax his efforts Giving each of his men |
a pull at the flask. he selected little |
Murphy as about the most compact and |
certainly the lightest of the TITO. and |
babe him make his way to camp and
tell the colonel that up to sunrise no
vestige of the lost ones had been found,
and suggest that additional parties be
sent out al once.
Tell somebody to bring my field
glass. he added, as Murphy was about
to ride away. IF | had dreamed we
would have found nothing of the ambu-
lance until this time, | never should
have left it. Good luck to you now,
corporal. Ride as lively as you cam"
Murphy turned promptly away, spur
red his unwilling horse through the ice
into the black and racing waters Of the
Wolf and was presently following lit
tie break in the north side which led by
4 more gradual ascent to the prairie be-
yond
"Now, men, one of you ride back to-
ward the party at the ford, poke into
Every ravine to your left-they're all full
# snow; it may be the ambulance is so
ieep in the drift they could hear no
sound. If you find anything, the faint
EST trace, ride up on the prairie and
sircle your horse to the left. Morse.
Fou come with me"
Beg pardon, lieutenant, think Muir
ply sees something now said Morse,
the farther shore with a nod
If his fur covered head Whirling Gag
,rly about, Brewster was surprised to see
lis little ITishman, hundred yards or
% away, crouching low on his horses
pack, still in the ravine and up to his
firth in snow, and peering cautiously
eastward. his eyes just level with the
,ank. Then he was plainly seen to sig
luis III III Instant LAt0ClEl anu lfitIl
we're plunging into the rapid stream,
rushing the ice that slirted the shores
md bounding out upon the frozen
yround beyond. Again Murphy held
orth hand-a warning gesture, not a |
j reckoning one. Keep down, keep
town. he signaled. and wondering, the
little party of troopers cautiously fol-
owed into the ravine.
What do you see?' queried Brewster, I
ager and agitated.
Upon my soul. sir. wish | knew:
'ut it's more like Indians than anything
can think of.
"Indiansg where away" And with a i
Wild fear at heart Brewster gazed over
he bank in the direction indicated.
Indians. and coming this way. sir, or !
IN a tenderfoot," muttered Morse. a
nan who had served in the Twelfth for 5
many year. I
What on earth can they -e doing SO I
ar south Of the agency? You don't :