The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-27
MACK'S ESCAPE.

In the town in which | live there Is an
old frontiersman whom every one calls
Squire Mack" In the early days he
went to California, and had many curl
Gus adventures there which he delights
In recounting.
At the breaking out Of the civil war
he was making shingles near some min
ing town IN the Sierra Nevada. The
news from home filed him with patriot
ic fire, and with several comrades he
turned his face eastward and travel
ed as rapidly as possible toward the
States"
Arriving at Salt Lake City, he learned
that Indians had been raiding the trail
ahead, firing upon wagon trains and
burning express and stage stations
This news disheartened his companions,
who resolved to stop at Salt Lake City
until the trouble was over.
Not so with Mack. He was of the sort
of men who are bound to go through
when they have begun a thing. He
pressed on, taking his chances, on the
Cherokee trail"
Mack had been wagonmaSter along
this trail, and knew the ground well.
he had heard that the Indians were raid
ing about Green river, but he knew that
at the crossing Of the trail over this
stream he had good friend in the per-
son of Bat Layigne, an old French Cana
dian trader who lived here.
Lavigne had a great deal of influence
among the surrounding tribes of Utes,
Uintahs. Cheyennes and Arapahoes. He
was married to an Arapaho woman, and
was reckoned a member of that tribe.
He must be aware of the movements of
the Indians.
So Mack, riding an excellent cayuse
and leading a good sized pack mule,
pushed boldly on to Green river cross
ing and brought up at Bat Lavigne's
adobe dwelling one evening at SHUTDOWN.
Lavigne made him welcome heartily.
The trader told him that a big war
party of Arapahoes had mixed medi-
cine" at Green river two days before,
and had set out from there upon an ex-
petition to the east. He had been with
them during the powwew, but did not
know whether they had excepted white
blood" in mixing their medicine or not.
If they had not. the trail would be ex-
tremely dangerous
But there were ne other Indians to be
feared at present, he said, If one kept
straight upon the old Cherokee trail,
which passed over a line of neutral
ground between the mountain tribes. If
the Arapahoes were again TO go plum
dering and killing whites, as they had
done few weeks before, they would
keep to this trail TO avoid other enemies.
Mack's strong desire TO get forward
upon the way home got the better of his
prudence, and he again took the trail
eastward.
At about noon on the third day he
came upon the smoldering ruins of an
old freight or way station.
Mack knew very well, from certain
signs which he saw in the neighborhood,
that the building had been fired by IN
dams. If people had been living in 1t
they had probably been killed or taken
prisoners.
Whittier the Indians had gone Mack
could not determine. The ground was
hard and baked, and no tracks Of any
sort could be discovered, but the party
could not be far distant.
Mack picketed his animals among
some sage brush near at hand. and ate
his noon lunch while considering whether
it was best TO so back or go ahead. He
had now no doubt that the building had
been burned by the Arapshoes, and that
they had not excepted white blood in
making mp their protective medicine.
As be sat in this meditative mood the
traveller. happening to cast his eyes
back upon the trail over which he had
come, saw two horsemen leading pack
animals and riding toward him at 8
gaIlop.
They proved to be young men who
were on their way home TO Tennessee.
They had heard Of Mack at Lavigns's
three days before, and had been trying
70 overtake him.
They. too. were 6n their way east
ward TO take part in the great struggle
then going forward; but they intended
10 join the southern army. while he was
going 10 join the Union forces
Partner" said one OF the southern
ers, lets stick together and fight TO
gether through this here Indian coun-
Try, and after we get home we'll fight |
each other"
AL right" said Mack: Its agreed. /
NortheTEers IS northerners and south
e-ners Is southerners. bat Injins is
pizen
50 these deadly enemies Of the near
future went or together. comrades IL /
danger. Every man Of the three was
with a sroat muzzle loading 4
ritie aud large Colts revolver.
They set out together on the trail and +
had advanced but few miles from rile