The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-01

! ,
including those stolen and those be-
longing to the Indians, were turned
loose to browse upon the pasturage of
the wild meadow Their strayings
were limited by a narrow stream which
crossed the meadow from forest to
forest. No other restraint seemed i'm
posed.
The hunters, having made due sur
vey of the camp. then determined to
, withdraw and take up position in
nearer proximity to the horses. The
shades OF night. which were rapidly
coming on, enabled them to execute
this maneuver with less likelihood Of
detection. Withdrawing more toward
the interior OF the wood, they descend
| ed a long. gently sloping hill within
the forest, and reached the bank of the
stream referred to, near where it left
the meadow. Following its course,
they presently emerged into the open,
keeping carefully behind the shelter of
the bank.
Twilight had set in now, and the
prospect was becoming more obscured
every moment. The moon, which rode
| high in the heavens, was nearly hidden
| by clouds, while faint CLEANS of light
ming and the rumble of distant thunder
announced an approaching storm. The
camp fires were seen to the south burn
ing brightly, and dusky forms fitting
about them.
Hist, Mixer whispered Baker, lay
ing his hand on his companions Shout
4 ha- l>,, l., a.,
direction of the camp. Was that
voice yondero Harh." Both men bent
their ears to listen. ''There by the tree
/ mean"
Il heard nothing more than a chip
muck barkin' in the bush,'' answered
Mike, presently 'A more Elegant sound,
be me soul, than any redskin liver
made"
Il must have been Mistaken replied
the other.
A brief silence thereupon ensued,
after which he continued:
'Td like to know just where to lay
hands on the mare ! can't make her
out now, but l marked her well this
evening, browsing toward the middle
of the field. She was feeding this way
She can't be far from here now, unless
she turned back, which she may have
DONE
IF we can 'ase dozen or SO of thin
off by the side of the wood yonder and
get away, we'll be doin' a good days
job, I'm thinl1in," remarked Delaney
1T ought not to be so hard
Have you the ropes safe?" inquired
the scout after a pause, during which
he rose, half erect, upon the bank, in
order to take d wider survey of the
prospect.
''As safe as meself," replied Mike.
land that's not SO safe, aither, perhaps,
but ready for use, all the same
Here fash of lightning, more vivid
than any that had occurred yet, lit up
the scene, and was followed by louder
peal of thunder than any that had pre-
coded it.
''Whew, But that was nearn ex-
claimed Delaney. THE storm is com
ing in big drops.
Let us creep along the bank and re-
connoiter. The lightning will aid us in
finding what we are after. But make |
use of every bush"
''All right. Lade on.' assented Mike |
The horses were seen feeding together |
in groups or dotted over the pasture, but |
the darkness prevented them from being |
identified. The hunters be-
iieved that if they escaped observation
from the camp they would be secure
from detection. They had not observed |
that Indian guards had stationed them
selves, earlier in the evening, along the
line of the stream, to watch the horses.
These were lying there now, separated
by intervals of three or four hundred
feet, crouching in the long grass, one
not two hundred feet ahead of them.
The lightning was becoming every
moment more frequent and vivid now,
and the thunder nearer and louder
Presently, a flash of dazzling brilliance
lit up the field with the splendor of
and was followed, or accom-
panied rather, by a deafening crash,
which seemed to rend the very heavens
Some of the horses neighed with
alright and went galloping about the
pasture.
There is the mare now, not twenty
PAGES away" exclaimed Baker, who
was standing now upright upon the
bank, with Delaney beside him, un-
screened by any tree or bush
Her and aud Christopher beside
her." said the latter. I'D know the
two among thousand. How ii light
ems, Whew!7
Give me the ropes, and I'll get them
both in a jiffy by such continuous light.
Keep along the bank, Mike, and head
them that way if they run. Quick"
Delaney handed him the ropes and
proceeded to do as directed; but he had |
not taken a dozen steps stumbling
along over the inequalities Of the
ground, when dark object sprang up
put of the grass before him. the muzzle
Of gun was placed to his breast and
the trigger drawn. 4 flash followed,
but the weapon remained undischarged.
1t was thus, by the merest accident,
that Delaney's life was saved
Finding his gun useless. the Indian
for such it was-uttering a whoop of
alarm which rang above the storm.
Trasped for his knife: but, before he
'ould eStricate it. Delaney sprang upon
him. 4 desperate struggle ensued upon
the edge OF the steep bank. For a few
the result OF the contest
seemed doubtful. The two men were
pretty evenly matched ia strength, but
Delaney was the more active and the !
more expert wrestler. The Indian all
.he time kept uttering that alarming |
yhoop.
Now they bore away from the bank.