Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-06-23

mockery of the quick death that had
overtakt n the Outstretched form beside
/ them
When darkness had come the three
men gradually crept housekeeping a
closely together as possible-in the di
rectiOn of the canyon behind them.
Occasionally out Of the darkness would
come flash of light from rifle fired
/ in their direction. To these, at first,
they replied; but when they had got
some distance from the camp where the
dead man lay they rose to their feet,
and as rapidly and noislesslY as pos
| sible retreated to the canyon No one
/ spoke. but each knew that the faces Of
| his comrades were, like his own, glow
| lug with that feeling of gratitude that
comes only when a man has escaped
almost certain death They would
never see the man they had lett behind
/ again; but, after all, he was old and
alone in the world, while they-well,
with them life was sweeter and dearer
than it could possibly have been to him.
To Harry, at least, il snemed SO.
/ What would the girl have done, had he.
! instead, been killed, and lying back
there by the deserted camp fire 10 be
mutiated beyond recognition when his
body should pass into the hands Of the
! Apaches ? By morning they would be
within few miles OF the settlements,
and they would be safe 1t was So dark
that theT had to use both hands and
feet in feeling for fOOtway down the
canyon, Still. they were making good
progress. 1t was hardly midnight and
they must have left their camp at least
dozen miles behind They could not
be over 30 or 40 miles from the settle
ments, and, once out of the canyon,
they would soon travel that distance.
The moon would soon be high in the
heavens. and that would help them,
but il would also bring aid to the pur-
suers, raging at their escaps. Its light
was already beginning 10 till the noun
tain sides and canyon with strange and
uncouth shadows.
The three men kept closely together
as if relying on one another tor assist
ance As they climbed down through
the canyon they remained on its dark
est side, in order to avoid any possible
discovery, although il made their mar
row footwaY still more dangerous
Far behind them they could see ON the
mountain-side a blaze of light, and they
knew that it was a signal of their es-
caps. 1t made them push forward with
greater exertion. now they knew that
the pursuit was close behind, and that
it would be with the greatest effort they
could escape, as the Indians had plob- |
ably Dissolved the direction in which |
they were going, and they would endeav |
or to intercept them. And they pushed |
forward with renewed haste the man
in the rear suddenly slipped and fell, |
carrying with him his two comrades. |
The fall was but a slight one. The |
little pebbles it had started had hardly |
ceased rolling before two OF the men |
were agsin on their feet, picking up
their arms. Harry tried to join them,
and rose TO his feet, but only to fall |
again
What's the matter ?'' asked one of
his comrades.
Il think have sprained my lee some
way" he replied
The two men assisted him 70 rise, |
but when he was on his feet his left leg |
seemed to be without life, so far as any |
control of the muscles of it was con
cerned. He tried to step forward but |
it dragged rs If il was paralyzed. A
cold sweat broke out All over him, and |
when one of the men VINO supported |
him said This is hell - it sounded like
q sentence of death.
Cant you move it at all p asked
one Of his comrades, his voice betray-
inc his desire to be once more on his
way toward the settlements. They
were still standing where they had fall
len in the moonlight, and one of them
noticing it, led the way back into the
shadow
NO; | am afraid it is broken" an
swered the disabled man. His voice
sounded strange and changed He
could hardly recognize it. The dead
man whom they had left lying back by
the campfire seemed very near to him,
and in his fear and pain he wondered
if the Indians had mutilated him much.
The two men land him down, and
one. taking the disabled limb in his
hand. moved il gently back and forth,
and in an instant moved his hand far
up on the thigh.
feel the ends of the bones As he said
it he glanced from the face of the
wounded man into that of his other
comrade Even the shadow the
wounded man caught the expression on
the faces of the two men, and knew
they were thinking how long 1t would
be before the Apaches would overtake
them if they remained there. Both had
seated themselves by his side in the
shadow, SO that il their pursuers were
near they would offer poorer target
Don't you think you can limp along
with our help p asked one
mo. it's no use boys | could never
get through the canyon. You will
have To leave me If | tried. they
would attack us before daybreak," As
he said this he unbuckled the belt from
around his waist, with its cleaning
row of cartridges. and handed ii to one
Of the men, after taking the revolver
/ from its holster.
@Well, we amt going to leave you,
said one of his comrades.
Boy, that is nonsense. said the dis