The Portland daily press., 1892-01-23

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 Tor departure. No Indians had
ventured near them Evidently the
Indians were trying to throw the white
men Off their guard by show OF lndif-
ference.
1t had grown quite dark. Mack re-
solved to trust in not unfamlllar ruse.
lie first allowed the fire to sink low, and
then gathered a 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 on
brush until the flames leaped high; and
behind this blaze they crept away to the
horses. mounted them, and Leading the
repacked mules rode straight up the side
hill until out of range of the firellght.
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 animals in a little pocket
| which had grass and water and betook
themselves to quaking-asp thicket near
at hand for rest, and,s 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 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.
At shutdown signal fire 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 di-
rect, and rode at as rapid a pace as their
animals could be expected to sustain.
Mack thought they had gained a lead
during the night which would make it
impossible for the Indians to come up
with them; but at about 10 o'clock they
discovered signal fire upon hill not
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 forward.
All that day they rode, but the In
dams who were signaling kept steadily
in advance of them. During the day
they counted no less than seventeen fires,
all built at a great, distance from the
trail; but during all the time not an
Arapaho was seen.
That night, when their horses and
mules were almost exhausted, the white
men made out the dim forms of two
mountains a few miles in advance.
Mack knew that these marked the pas
sage of the trail out upon the open
plains, within a three or four hours ride
of Fort Collins. Hidden in the mouth
of canyon they escaped observation.
They rested and fed their horses, took
food and before daylight were again in
the saddle.
eff we have any trouble it will come
in the pass between the mountains"
Mack told his comrades. eff we don't
run against a party of 'em there, we're
out of the woods. If we do, it'll take a
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
check 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 their
ground; but as the white men pressed
straight on and came nearly within rifle
shot they lost their courage and fed.
Five hours later Mack and the Ten
nesseeans were in Fort Collins, where q
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 any
thing to the officers at the post concern
ing his companions rebellious inten-