Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-12

readiness for departure. No Indians
had ventured near them. Evidently
the Indians were trying to throw the
white men off their guard by a show Of
indifference.
1t had grown quite dark. Mack re-
solved to trust to a not unfamiliar ruse.
He first allowed the fire to sink low,
and theu gathered a quantity of sage
brush, and wrapped it up in three of
their extra blankets.
These bundles were then placedtnear
the fire SO that they should look. tat a
distance, like the figures of Imen
squatted before the blaze.
Then Mack and his comradestpiled
on brush until the flames leaped. high;
and behind this blaze they crept.away
to the horses, mounted them, and. lead
ing 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
and by they struck into the trail, and
urged their animals forward. They
had heard no sound of Indians in pur-
| suit.
Before daylight, they turned off and
rode about four miles to the left, where
they hid their horses in a little pocket
which had grass and water, and be-
| took themselves to qualxing-asp
thicl<et near at hand. for rest, and by
turns, for sleep. Here they proposed
to remain all day, and to go on again
| at night. One of them kept guard at
| the edge of the thicket, overlooking
the route and the surrounding country.
| Late in the afternoon a squad of In
| dams were discerned in the distance,
| looking for their trial. Crowded be-
hind tufts of buffalo grass, they
| watched this band closely and anxious
ly.
. At shutdown signature about three
miles away announced that their
tracks had been discovered. But it
would yet be an hour or more before
the Indians would overtake the little
| party.
AS soon as it grew dark enough to
| cover their retreat Mack and his COM
| panions started. They crossed the trail
and rode until midnight on the other
side Then they crossed back again,
| rode two miles out to the left and
| camped until daylight.
| Rising again, they took the trail di7
| rect, and rode at as rapid a pace as
| their animals could be expected to sus,
| tain.
| Mack thought they had gained lead
during the night which would make il
| impossible for the Indians to come up
with them, but at about ten O'Clock
they discovered a signal-fire upon a
hill n OF more than a mile off at the left
and somewhat in advance of them.
The building of this fire was proof
that the party ahead were scouts, and
that the main body of the Indians was
behind. Mack kept his men to the
trail, and they urged their animals for,
| ward.
All that day they rode, but the In
| dams who were signalling kept steadi
ly in advance of them. During the day
| they counted no less than seventeen
fires, all built at no great distance from
the trail, but during all this not an
| Arapahne was snan-
That night, when their horses and
mules were almost exhausted, the
white men made out the dim forms Of
| two mountains few miles in advance.
Mack knew that these marked the pas,
sage of the trail out upon the opeE
plains, within a three or four hours
| ride of Fort Collins. Hidden in the
mouth of canyon they escaped obser.
walton. They rested and fed THEN
horses, took food, and before daylight
were again in the saddle.
'If we have any trouble it will come
in the pass between the mountains"
Mack told his comrades ST we don't
run against party of them there
we're out of the woods. If we do, it'll
take good bunch of 'em to clean us
out, for there's no cover-only open
ground
AS they rode into the pass they saw
five Indians in the distance, seated
upon their horses near the trail These
were undoubtedly the scouts, who,
riding the swiftest ponies in their
band, had kept ahead and were now
stationed in the pass, hoping to hold
the white men in cnech until others Of
their party came up.
"Nothin' to do but brush 'em one
side, boys" said Mack.
Tightening their girths and looking
to their weapons, the little party
charged forward at a stiff gallop.
The Indians Slipped off their horses
and made a show of standing THEN
ground, but as the white men pressed
straight on and came nearly within
rife shot they lost their courage and
fed.
Five hours later Mack and the Ten.
nesseeans were in Fort Collins, where
a strong detachment of regular troops
was stationed.
The Tennesseeans looked queerly at
Mack as they rode up to the fort. They
seemed to be satisfied with his look
and said nothing. Nor did Mack say
anything to the officers at the post
concerning his companions rebellious
intentions. Welles Call1ins, in
Youths Companion.
Medical authorities declare that fat
people are less able to resist the at
Jacks of disease or the shock of in