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


| out mine and my self raisin flower, and
while you take the hatchets and cut a
big lot of sagebrush for bonfire I'll
mix and bake bread enough to last rs
three days.
Then after that's done we'll eat big
supper and light big FIRE, and behinG
the blaze Of it well crawl to our horses
and get out of these diggin's. tn take
US three days or three nights to reach
Fort Collins, and those fellows II fol-
low Us clean through unless we can
dodge them somewhere on the trail"
In three hours everything was in read
mess for departure. No Indians had
ventured near them. Evidently the
Indians were trying TO throw the white
men off their guard by show of indif-
ference.
1t had grown quite dark. Mack re-
solved to trust in a not unfamiliar russ
He first allowed the FIRE TO sink low, and
then gathered quantity of sagebrush
and wrapped it up IN three OF their ex-
ira blankets.
These bundles were then placed near
the fire so that they should look at dis
lance like the figures of men squatted
before the blaze.
Then Mack and his comrades piled OF
brush until the flames leaped high; and
behind this blaze they crept away 10 the
horses. mounted them, and leading the
repacked mules rode straight up the side
hill until out of range of the freight.
They then turned and rode several
miles parallel with the trail, guiding
their course by family seen stars. BY
ana BY they struck into the trail and
urged their animals forward. They
had heard no sound Of Indians in p1r-
suit.
Before daylight they turned off and
rode about four miles TO the left, where
they hid their animals in little pocket
which had grass and water and betook
themselves TO a quaking asp thicket near
at hand for rest, and. by turns, for
sleep. Here they proposed TO remain
all day and 10 go on again at night One
of them kept guard at the edge OF the
thicket, overlooking the route and tbs
surrounding country.
Late in the afternoon a squad of In
dams were discerned in the distance
looking for their trail. Crowded behind
tufts OF buffalo grass, they watched this
band closely and anxioUsly.
Al shutdown signal fire about three
miles away announced that their tracks
had been discovered. Bat il weuld vet
be an hour or more before the Indians
would oyertaAe the little parry.
As soon IS IT grew dark enough 70
cover their retreat. &ack aid his cor
panious started. Thsy crossed the tr5l.
and rode Until niiEigE: on the other
side. Then they crossed back sgsIn-
rode two miles ont 20 tie lsfs AID
canped until daylight
Rising again, they took the trail d.
rect, and rode al as rapid . pace g their
animals eoald be expected 10 sustain.
Mack thought they had gained lead
during the night which would make II
impossible for the Indians 70 come EF
with tneIa. bit ~ about 10 o'clock thag
discovered s.gnsl ire upon = hill noi
more than = nils CT al the Ieft asla
somewhat Il advance q them.
The baIldjng e THIS FIRE vas pzoaf
that tie party allead were scoats. and
that the main b5dy q iI.e lssjilss ys&s
b.elI.l.d Nack kept his iaen L. Tbs trad
ard they urged ihsiy animals forward.
Al thai DAY they rode, iut the IL
dians wEo wsre signaling kept steadify
IN advance CT tnsTa Daring fhe das